House of the Rising Son
by roar526
Summary: NOW COMPLETE! Find out what has become of Mary and Marshall after having been assigned to protect the youngest person in the WITSEC program and confronting Marshall's family history.
1. Look What the Cat Dragged In

A/N I do not own IPS or any of the characters. This is strictly for therapeutic and entertainment purposes only.

As for me, this is my first attempt at an IPS fic. I'd love to know what you think.

Spoilers through Season 2: Miles to Go.

**Two Days Ago**

Stan rose from the conference room table as soon as he heard the elevator. He asked Eleanor to keep the latest person to be put under their protection company and quickly shut the door behind him as he tried to figure out how he was going to handle telling his Inspectors about this latest situation. Any thoughts in his head were quickly washed away as the two Marshals exited the elevator already deep in conversation, if you could call it a conversation.

"…but it was hard enough Marshall, you just need to work on your technique."

"Now wait just a minute, there is nothing wrong with my technique. Just ask Janice."

"That 60 year old granny. You think she's going to risk losing her youngest and best tipping client by saying different you moron. And what was with that big tip. If I'd known you were shelling out that kinda cash I would have given you a few pointers myself," Mary spat back as she made her way to her desk. It was as if neither of them even noticed Stan staring at them with a look of pure confusion on his face.

Mary threw her bag under her desk and looked back to see the frown on Marshall's face.

"Jesus Christ Marshall, don't be such a girl. I mean seriously, if you can't take the criticism you never should have asked me to tag along."

"Well considering I'm your chauffeur because your car is in the shop again," Marshall responded raising his voice slightly.

Mary's body tensed and she started to scream back, "What the hell does that have to do with any.."

"Will you two shut up and act your age for once!"

Mary and Marshall froze at the sound of Stan's voice echoing through the office. After glancing at Stan as if he were out of his mind, their eyes locked challenging the other to continue. Mary stuck her tongue out at Marshall and was about to open her mouth when she heard a strange sound.

"What the hell was that? It sounded like a cat." She had a frazzled look in her eye and was waiting for her partner to give what she hoped would be a cliff notes answer to her question.

"Now how the hell would a cat get in here." Marshall replied in a tone that earned him his partner's patented_ shut up or I'll shoot you _look. He started to smirk when he heard the noise as well.

Before Stan could come up with a response, the pair was on the move in search of the source. They didn't take more than a few steps before the conference room door opened and Eleanor appeared before them.

"What is going on out here?" She demanded. "Are you all insane? Are you trying to scare the little guy even more? Honestly, I don't know who thought it was a good idea to send him here. I can't for the life of me imagine how you're going to handle this one," she said in a sarcastic voice, as she looked Mary up and down. Then she turned and made her way back into the conference room.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Mary shot back. She then turned toward Marshall and said again, "Just what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Marshall shrugged his shoulders. "I do not want to even try to guess, but I have the feeling we are about to find out." He tried to sound sympathetic because he had a very bad feeling in his gut and didn't want to do anything to upset his partner any more than she already was.

"Stan?" she said more accusatory than questioning as she finally decided to recognize her boss's presence in the room. "Are you going to tell me what in God's name is going on around here or am I going to have to beat it out of her?" She said nodding her head in Eleanor's direction.

"Now Mary, just try to stay calm. There is a perfectly good explanation. Why don't you have a seat and I'll fill you both in on your latest assignment." Stan kept his voice calm as he tried to guide Mary back to her desk chair. He hated having to deal with her in situations like this. He wasn't any good at it and always delegated Marshall to run interference. Unfortunately, today had to be one of the many days that Mary's car didn't start which meant Marshall had to pick her up and was not in the office at his usual early hour for Stan to debrief him. So now instead of dealing with just Mary, Stan had both of his Inspectors looking to him for answers and he did not like it.

"I don't want to sit down. What the hell is going on?" Mary pulled away from Stan and headed toward the conference room with Marshall on her heels.

"Calm down Mare. I'm sure it's not that big a …" Marshall Mann did not finish his statement. He stood looking over Mary's shoulder into the conference room and found himself speechless, something he was not accustomed to being, at the sight of Eleanor cradling a baby in her arms.

"Mary, Marshall, I'd like you to meet Matthew," Eleanor said holding the baby up just a little higher so that they could get a better look at his little face.

Having gotten over his initial shock, Marshall moved toward the baby as he held out the long index finger of his right hand, "Well hello there Matthew. Aren't you a cute little guy." He smiled brightly as Matthew grasped his finger and looked up at him.

"I really just don't get it," Mary said more to herself than to the others as she watched Marshall with the baby. "Just don't start with the baby talk or I'll make sure your next move is a nose dive off the balcony," she said glaring at Marshall who just shook his head at her and turned his attention back toward Matthew.

Stan dropped two large folders on the table and then joined the group huddled around Matthew. "Eleanor would you mind taking him into my office for a little while. Maybe you could see if he's hungry while I bring the Inspectors up to speed."

"Sure Chief," she replied as she grabbed the oversize diaper bag from one of the chairs. "And Mary. I'll be sure to come get you when he needs to be changed."

"You really do have a death wish, don't you?" Mary yelled after Eleanor as she left the room and then turned her attention back to her boss. "A baby Stan? Really? This is a joke right? The kid is really Eleanor's nephew or something. You guys have really sunk to a new level using a kid to..."

"Mary, please," Stan said interrupting her before she could continue. "This is no joke. Matthew was born on January 15, 2009 as Michael Davis. His mother is Emily Davis, who is in the program. She used to be Emily Harrison the wife of Michael Harrison."

"Whoa Stan," Marshall interrupted, "you don't mean the Michael Harrison on the FBI's most wanted list?" which came out less like a question and more like a statement as Marshall had already come to his own conclusions.

"The very one," Stan replied in a steady and serious tone. "The DOJ has been trying to get the goods on Harrison for a few years, but it wasn't until a year ago that they were able to bust one of his distributors and make a deal. The week after the indictments were handed down, they found the guy with a bullet in his head and a suicide note. Unfortunately, CI found nothing to rule out suicide. Without a witness…"

"The Attorney General dropped the charges," Marshall said matter of factly. "That still doesn't explain why his 6 month old son is in our office."

"Well, it seems the young Mrs. Harrison had no clue that her husband was head of one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in the Pacific Northwest. After he was arrested, she found out she was 3 months pregnant and took off. Turned out that the family doctor was in her husband's pocket and was more than willing to share the news of his wife's pregnancy. Once released, Michael tracked her down and threatened to kill her parents if she didn't come back. A few months later they found out it was a boy. It was then that she over heard her husband making plans to kill her as soon as his son was born. Emily Harrison waited until her husband was away and used the maid's cell phone to call the Feds. She was placed in the program as Emily Davis and gave birth to Michael Davis a few months later. The day she brought him home from the hospital, the decoy security detail that left the hospital 2 hours before the real one was ambushed."

Stan was surprised that he hadn't been interrupted and looked up to see Mary and Marshall waiting for him to continue. "The DOJ does not have a strong enough case to indict Harrison, so as of now he is walking around a free man and is obsessed with finding his son. Emily and Michael have been relocated twice since his birth, but each time someone from the Harrison organization has shown up in the area. Two weeks ago, the FBI discovered that there was a $1 million bounty out on Emily Harrison aka Emily Davis and they were put in a safe house. It was then that Emily requested that Michael be relocated within the program and agreed to give up all parental rights as long as he was kept safe. The DOJ has spent the last two weeks trying to make her understand what she was doing and is convinced now that she will not change her mind. She wants him safe and you two are going to make sure he stays that way."

"Jesus Mary and Joseph. What am I, an adoption agency? I already found a home for one kid this year. It's not like there are a lot of stable families in the program willing to take on a baby."

"You're right Mary, there aren't," Stan replied. "So it's a good thing you don't have to find him one."

Mary and Marshall exchanged a quick glance before turning to look quizzically at their boss. Knowing what was in store if he let Mary control the conversation, Marshall decided he better jump in first. "So what exactly are we supposed to do with the little guy Stan?"

"Michael Davis no longer exists. As far as the world is concerned, he died of a rare complication at the age of 5 months. The child in my office is Matthew Young, born on January 25, 2009 right here in Albuquerque. He lived with his mother, father unknown, until her death in an automobile accident two days ago when he was taken into the custody of the State until such time as they can find any extended family capable of taking care of him. In reality, he is under the protection of the U.S. Marshal Service and will remain so as long as his father is out there looking for him. I'm not sure what is going to happen long term, but for now a safe house has been set up and he will be under your 24 protection." Stan finished his summary of the situation without looking directly at either of his Inspectors.

Mary noticed his inability to look either of them in the eye and said, "Just exactly who is in charge of this case? Just because I have boobs doesn't mean I know anything about babies."

"Mary please," Stan said holding up his hands as if to shield him from the verbal onslaught he knew was coming. "This is obviously a situation that WITSEC has never had to deal with before so there is no point of reference. Since a baby requires constant attention and care under normal circumstances, it was decided that you are to handle this as a team. We want to make sure that he gets the care and stability he needs until he is placed in a more permanent home. He has been moved around enough and now he has lost his mother as well"

"So, in other words, you are saying that Mary and I will be coordinating our efforts in protecting him as well as being his caretakers." Marshall could only imagine what was going through Mary's head right now and was pretty sure he was going to take the brunt of her anger when the meeting was over.

"Yes Marshall, that about sums it up. Now if you two will excuse me a moment."

"Now way! Stop right there Stan. Don't think you can just drop the bombshell that we are now glorified babysitters and walk away." Mary said angrily in order to hide the fact that she was really freaking out over the idea of having to take care of a baby. She had no clue about what to do with a baby.

"C'mon Mare, doesn't sound so bad. I mean how much trouble could one little baby be?" Marshall asked knowing that he would distract Mary long enough for Stan to escape the room, but well aware of the fact that this was going to be one of those assignments that would test their partnership.


	2. Hush Little Baby

Chapter 2: Hush Little Baby

A/N Thanks for the reviews, I hope you like this chapter too. I'm not sure where this is going yet. I keep changing it as I write, so it may not fall exactly into the categories I chose as it goes forward. The rating is mostly for Mary's language, which seems to flowing easily from me lately, so be warned.

Present Day

Since Matthew seemed to take to Eleanor right away, it had been agreed that she would stay at the house for the first couple of days to transition him into his new environment. She made list after list of things that would be required and was keeping the back up team of agents busy going from store to store. She filled the nursery and the house with toys and the necessary supplies to take care of a baby and was enjoying every minute of it, despite her wondering what life would have been like if she and John had been able to have children.

For Mary and Marshall, the last two days had passed in a frenzy of coordinating the 24-hour security detail on the safe house, doing threat assessments, running possible emergency scenarios and most of all trying to avoid each other. Of course it was impossible to actually avoid each other, but all contact was strictly on a professional level at this point. Marshall knew that there were certain times when it was better to leave Mary alone to concentrate on her job and he could tell by the constant absence of emotion on her face that this was one of those times. There was definitely a storm brewing inside her, and he was bracing himself for the fury it would eventually unleash. Until then, he was concentrating on work and getting to know the new little guy in his life.

Having no one at home and no family obligations in Albuquerque makes it much easier for Marshall to do his job. He remembered when that was something he shared with Mary, but since the arrival of her mother and her sister's decision to stay, that had all changed. The day Matthew arrived, he immediately packed a bag and moved into the safe house. He had been relieved to find that the house had three bedrooms. One was set up as a nursery and Eleanor was staying in the room next to it, so he had settled in the remaining one down the hall. The house was small, but the room must have been considered the master bedroom because there was a private bathroom. He knew that once Mary started staying over she would want that room. He also knew that in the end he would give it to her because it was impossible for him to deny her anything when it came right down to it. However, he would make her work for it first, as was their usual ritual. Or so he hoped.

Eleanor couldn't believe how sweet and calm Matthew was after having been through so much since his birth. He never had a permanent home and was always around strangers. His mother had been the only constant in his life and now he didn't even have her, yet he still ate and napped well throughout the day and was rarely fussy. The only problem seemed to be at night. The first night she woke at 1:00am to a screaming cry the likes of which she had never heard and she bolted out of bed.

"Wha…" she began to question Marshall who was already at the nursery door with gun drawn. He silenced her with a quick hand gesture, that also indicated she should stay where she was, before pushing the nursery door open the rest of the way.

He disappeared for only a moment before she heard him talking softly to Matthew. "Shh, big guy. It's okay. Uncle Marshall's not going to let anybody hurt you."

Eleanor smiled to herself as Marshall appeared in the doorway holding Matty (as she now affectionately referred to him). "Here, let me take him from you," she said holding out her arms.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks," Marshall replied and Eleanor couldn't help but think that she heard disappointment in his voice. "I need to go check in with the security detail anyway." With that, he had carefully placed the baby in her arms and left.

The second night was almost a repeat of the first except that Marshall had moved so quickly that by the time Eleanor reached the nursery he was already cradling Matthew in his arms. Not wanting to interrupt the moment, she made her way back to bed and knew Marshall would call her if he needed her help. She woke early the next morning in order to check on Matty. As she entered the nursery she saw Marshall asleep in the rocking chair with Matty still cuddled against him. She turned smiling and went to the kitchen to make some coffee.

A short while later, Marshall appeared with Matty. He put the baby in the high chair and gladly accepted the cup of hot coffee from Eleanor.

"I know that the pediatrician said he his healthy and couldn't find anything physical causing him to wake up screaming, but I can't believe it is happening for no reason." Eleanor said to Marshall as she gave Matty his breakfast. "Could it be he's having bad dreams?"

"Sporadic nightmares are a common occurrence for babies, just as they are with adults, and can also be the result of a stressful or traumatic event," Marshall replied matter of factly.

"Such as losing your mother." Eleanor had been at the ABQ office long enough to know about Marshall's tendency to ramble on if given the chance and normally didn't mind, but she was too concerned about her charge at the moment to listen to a lecture about dreams and nightmares.

"Yes. I think that would qualify," Marshall said sympathetically. "The way he cries out is more consistent with night terrors, but I don't think that is what we are dealing with because then he wouldn't respond and calm down so quickly when we pick him up." He walked over to Matty again and tickling his belly and smiling. "Right big guy."

"You are so good with him Marshall, really you are. And I'm glad because I can't imagine Mary taking care of a baby, so I feel better that you will be here as well."

"You know Eleanor, this may be one time when you are not giving Mary enough credit. I know she hasn't been around the last couple of days, but that is just Mary. She needs to deal with things in her own time. As far as taking care of a baby, don't let her fool you. She know a hell of a lot more than you think. She basically raised her little sister."

"And what about you? Is caring for Matty just instinctive for you or have you had first hand experience like Mary,' Eleanor said trying to lighten the conversation, but she did have to admit that she was curious. Marshall just seemed so at ease, even when it came to changing a diaper and that was not knowledge one got from a book.

She instantly regretted asking when she saw the change in Marshall. His expression changed. He looked pensive and almost sad. After a few moments of trying to put the words together, he responded. "My little brother was 10 years younger than me and my parents worked odd hours, so I helped out a lot taking care him." He bent down to pick up the toy that had fallen from the high chair. "If you'll excuse me Eleanor, I'm gonna grab a shower and get dressed."

"Sure. Take your time," she said as she watched him disappear around the corner. The sadness in his voice and the use of the "was" did not escape her attention. That was when she realized she knew very little about Marshall's past because he never seemed to talk about it or his family. She wondered if Mary knew and made a mental note to talk to her about it.

***

Across town, Mary was finally packing up the things she would need for her stay at the safe house. She had spent the last two days avoiding dealing with anything on an emotional level. She knew Marshall had immediately moved into the safe house. She asked him about the security detail and they poured over contingency plans and threat assessments, but she had not asked a single question about how Matthew was or how he was doing with the baby. 'Classic Mary,' she thought to herself as she grabbed her stuff from the bathroom, 'if you avoid a situation long enough, maybe it will go away.' Only she knew better. She knew things just never went away as she thought about the past six months and all that had happened with Brandi and Jinx.

She grabbed her bag and jacket and made her way to the kitchen. "Morning Squish," she said realizing she needed to tell her family that she was not going to be around for awhile. Of course, she was still going to be in Albuquerque so it was possible to stop back home to check up on things and there were times she was gone overnight and they never asked. 'Maybe I don't need to tell them anything,' she thought but was brought back to reality by her sister calling her name.

"Mary, earth to Mary," Brandi said waving a paper in the air.

"What?" Mary snapped back as she realized the coffee pot was empty again. "Why is it so damn hard to get a freakin cup of coffee in my own house."

"It's just Mom has been trying so hard and she was hoping we would go to this family meeting with her," Brandi said as she handed Mary the flyer.

"It's tonight?! I can't Squish."

"Work right. It's always about work Mary. How can you expect Mom to stay sober if you don't do anything to support her."

"Whoa, let's not forget who's supporting who here. It's my job that supports all of us remember. And I have a new assignment that is going to take me out of town indefinitely," Mary blurted out in anger before she even realized it. 'Well, one less thing to worry about I guess,' she thought to herself.

"What do you mean? You're going to be home even less than you are now, if that's even possible. Did you tell Mom or Chico? You didn't, did you? You were just going to leave without telling him. You can be such a bitch sometimes Mary." Brandi headed back to her room and slammed the door.

"Jesus, more drama. What the hell is wrong with this family?" Mary grabbed her stuff and was almost out the door when her phone rang. She assumed it was Marshall. 'Just what I need this morning, more guilt. If I've been a bitch to anyone the last couple of days, it's Marshall. And he's not complaining. Or at least not at the moment. He knows better. He knows **me** better.' Mary was so lost in her thoughts that she missed the call. When she looked at the phone she saw:

**1 missed call ****from Raph**

She rolled her eyes and threw her bags in the back of the car. Slamming the door, she climbed into the driver's seat. She was not going to deal with any of this right now. Again, classic Mary was rearing her ugly head, but she didn't care. She turned the key and the probe sputtered but didn't turn over. "Grrr," she growled as she tried again. "Not today baby, please not today," she urged her to start. "Damn it, I just want a freakin cup of coffee already!" And with that the probe started.


	3. A Cup of Joe

Ch. 3: A Cup of Joe

Thanks for the reviews. All your comments are greatly appreciated and provide the encouragement to continue.

A/N: Spoilers for everything up to Miles to Go and AU from that point, but be warned that topics from later S2 episodes may be presented in different ways.

When Mary stopped for coffee, without thinking she ordered one for Marshall. Remembering that he was at the safe house, she realized she should get one for Eleanor as well. She grabbed the coffees, ignoring the tip cup sitting on the counter, and made her way back to the probe that she had illegally parked right in front of the café's door. She sat in the car for a few minutes enjoying the feeling of the caffeine as it made its way through her system. It was amazing to her that a stimulate could have such a calming effect. Finally feeling ready to start her day, she picked up her beeping cell phone to listen to the message Raph had left earlier.

After punching a few buttons, his voice filled her ears. "Mary. Please call me as soon as you get this message. I really need to talk to you about something and it can't wait. Call me."

'Everything's a god damn emergency,' she thought to herself. 'He doesn't need me when I'm sure Brandi is calling him as we speak to tell him I'm gone.' She threw the phone onto the passenger seat, put the car in gear and sped out of the lot toward the safe house.

Twenty minutes later she pulled up to a small house on the outskirts of Albuquerque. She nodded to the security detail as they looked longingly at the beverages in her hands. 'Sorry boys,' she snickered to herself, 'I am nobody's errand girl."

She entered the house and made her way to the kitchen hoping the coffee was still hot. In her desperation for caffeine, she hadn't thought about the long drive. 'Well, if it's cold I won't charge them the delivery fee.'

"Good morning Mary," Eleanor said when she saw Mary. "I'm glad you could stop by and see us today."

"And here I came bearing caffeinated beverages," Mary said holding up one of the cups in her direction. "Be careful," Mary said grinning, "because you never know what someone could slip into your cup."

"Thank you for the coffee...I think." Eleanor took the cup from her and opened the lid to sniff it before taking a sip.

"Hey kid, what's up," Mary said looking at Matthew. "Did you want one too? I'll give you Marshall's but it's gonna cost you four bucks."

"Mary?!"

"What? He knows I'm just messing around. See, he's smiling." She loved getting Eleanor all worked up sometimes. It's not like the kid knew what she was saying anyway. "So where is that nitwit partner of mine anyway?"

"He went to take a shower. Actually, I'm glad you're here because I was hoping to talk to you in private."

Hearing the concern in Eleanor's voice, Mary looked at her cautiously. "Sure, but don't think you are getting out of paying for that coffee."

"Mary, I'm serious. I was wondering what you knew about Marshall's family."

"His family?" Mary answered, surprised by Eleanor's inquiry. "Why do you want to know about his family? Is something wrong? Did something happen that I should know about?" Her initial surprise becoming concern for her partner.

"Nothing's wrong, at least I don't think so. It's just that Marshall said something this morning and he seemed so sad afterward. Then he quickly excused himself in order to avoid any further conversation. It was then I realized I don't know anything about his past and thought that since you are his best friend…"

"That what?!" Mary barked back. "That I'd simply recount his life story to you without even knowing why the hell you are so damn interested in the first place." She didn't know why it was bothering her so much, but Eleanor's inquiry had made her really angry. When suddenly a wave a realization swept over her. She honestly didn't know that much about the Mann family.

Over the course of the past few years Marshall had become more than her partner. He was her best friend. Her only friend. The one person she could always count on. She knew the name of his high school's mascot, how old he was when he had his first kiss, his college GPA and even his shoe size for christ's sake, but she had absolutely no fucking clue about what his family was like. In fact, Marshall never really mentioned his family at all and she realized she never took the time to ask. There was a growing sadness inside her at feeling as if she had failed her friend in some way. It soon boiled over quickly in the form of anger against Eleanor because that is how Mary dealt with emotional situations; she got mad.

Eleanor watched as Mary's face registered a variety of emotions. She was about to say something when Mary looked directly at her and she could see the hurt in her eyes. She had gotten to know Mary's moods fairly well in the short time she had known her and knew she was not going to react well.

"If you're so god damn interested, you should ask him yourself. You're crazy if you think I'm going to tell you anything about it. It's none of your freakin' business as far as I'm concerned, at least not until I'm told otherwise by Marshall."

"Mary, please calm down. I'm just concerned."

"Well you can shove your concern.."

They both heard the sound of a door opening and closing down the hall. Eleanor sat back down next to Matty and Mary leaned against the doorframe still struggling with how this whole situation made her feel. She shot Eleanor one of her _don't make me shoot looks_ and steadied herself.

Marshall stepped into the room feeling ready to face the day ahead after enjoying a long, hot shower. He couldn't help but smile when he saw Mary standing there with two cups of coffee in hand. He hoped this was a sign that things were getting back to normal between them. "I'm flattered that you drove all this way at such an early hour just to bring me coffee."

"Well you should be," she said passing him the cup. "Just don't let it go to your head pretty boy."

"He's mad that trusts the tameness of a wolf." Marshall stated as he made a grand gesture with his free hand and was happy to see that Mary was being Mary again. She had that look she got when she was suppressing laughter and trying to appear annoyed with him. He couldn't stop the smirk that crept across his face as he said, "Shakespeare."

"You are such a dork. No wonder you attract the women the you do."

Marshall just raised his eyebrows.

"Okay so you want to play that game. Fine, let's see. Just this past year there was the college professor by day, dominatrix by night. Next was the shrink with attachment issues and co-dependent ex-boyfriend."

"Then I guess it's good that I have such an understanding and sympathetic partner," he replied sarcastically.

"Ass." Mary said as she grabbed one of Matty's toys from the high chair and threw it at him.

Mary and Marshall were both visibly more relaxed as they continued their usual banter and the tension of the last couple of days lifted. Of course, neither of the partners was ready to discuss any of the emotional issues that they were struggling with at the moment. Marshall knew he had said too much to Eleanor and was hoping with every fiber of his being that she would just let it go even though he knew she wouldn't. And Mary was again being Mary and fighting with every ounce of strength she had to keep her emotions buried deep inside and not have to deal with them.

They said their good-byes to Eleanor and Matty and made their way outside. Since Eleanor would be gone in the morning, they wanted to take advantage of one last day in the field together. They both had witnesses to check up on and even though they didn't admit to each other, it was always more enjoyable when they made the visits together. They walked down the path fighting about who's car to take and who would drive, as the two Marshals guarding the front of the house looked at each other and rolled their eyes. No one had ever been able to figure out how the two Inspectors that bickered like toddlers had become one of the strongest and most successful teams within the U.S. Marshal service.


	4. Which Came 1st, the Burger or the Fry?

**Ch 4: Which came first, the burger or the fry?**

A/N: Just a short little chapter because it may be a couple of days before I can post again. Hopefully I'll figure out where this is all going in the meantime. Enjoy ;)

The two Inspectors made the rounds to the witnesses they felt they should check in on and were glad to see that all were leading rather uneventful lives at the moment. There was nothing worse than making a random check on a witness turning into "a situation". With the visits finished, Mary and Marshall stopped for lunch before returning to the office. The meal passed with Mary keeping her complaints about the food and staff to a minimum, while Marshall talked about the origins of the hamburger.

"Ground meat dates back to the time of Genghis Khan. His army carried the meat with them and ate it as raw patties. After his grandson, Khubilai Khan, invaded Moscow he introduced the meat to the Russians and it became what we know as Steak Tartare, Tartars being their name for the Mongols."

Mary stared blankly at Marshall as he took a bite and then continued his lecture. "It was introduced by sailors to Germany in the late eighteenth century and became know as Hamburg Steak. Experts agree that it was European immigrants brought the Hamburg Steak with them to America in the early 1800's, but there is confusion as to how it became the hamburger we know today."

"That is fascinating Marshall," Mary replied sarcastically. "Really, please continue Professor Mann."

"Ha ha," Marshall said grabbing a few fries off her plate and popping in his mouth before she had time to protest. "Just wait for next week's lecture about the potato."

"Well, touch my food again and you won't be around to see next week numbnuts."

"You say that now, but then you'll be stuck taking care of Matthew all by yourself." The words came out before he could check himself and he feared the touchy subject may make Mary retreat from him again.

"Damn. Well as soon as the kid is gone, you better watch you're back," Mary responded playfully as Marshall released the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Speaking of the kid though, you be okay if I take off for a few hours tonight?"

"Sure. Eleanor isn't leaving until the morning. I didn't think you planned on staying tonight." He was surprised, but happy to know she would finally be around more. "You haven't told them yet, have you?"

"Have too," she said glaring at her partner.

He returned her look with a questioning raise of his eyebrows.

"Okay, okay. So I didn't exactly sit them down to discuss it."

She looked up to see him waiting patiently for her to continue. 'Damn it,' she thought to herself, 'how does he do that. One look and he can get to me tell him almost anything. I hope I never have to be on the opposite side of him in the interrogation room.'

"It's just that Brandi pissed me off so much this morning. I know Jinx is working hard to stay sober, I do. Just because I have a job, unlike the rest of my family, doesn't mean I haven't noticed. Brandi got all bent out of shape this morning when I said I couldn't make some family style AA meeting. She said all I ever thought about was work and that I wasn't being supportive."

She didn't have to continue for Marshall to understand what had happened next. Brandi's accusations had hurt Mary and she lashed out, but not without provocation as far as he was concerned. He was still having trouble dealing with how Mary's mom and sister treated her. He knew they weren't exactly brain trusts, but the fact that they were so absolutely fucking clueless when it came to Mary made him angry. They have known her all her life. He had only known her three years and could read her like a book. How is it that they didn't know her at all? But because he knew her so well, he knew that this was not the time for that conversation.

"You know Mare, it's not like we are going to be out of town and we both don't need to be in the house 24/7. We still have other witnesses to take care of, so we'll have to switch off duties with Matthew from time to time." Marshall continued sympathetically, "You'll be able to stop and even spend some nights in your own bed, if you want."

"Ha! Big if there," Mary said emphasizing the word big. "If I didn't own the damn house, I'd probably never go back."

"Liar." Marshall said laughing and shaking his head.

"What did you just call me?" Mary asked surprised at Marshall's response. While his tone was playful, he usually didn't call her out like that unless he was mad at her. Normally he would tease her and make side comments until she finally worked through whatever it was that was bothering her to his satisfaction.

"You heard me. You're just venting and that's fine if it makes you feel better, but we both know how responsible you feel for Brandi and Jinx. And after the year your family has had, there is no way you would just abandon them."

"Whatever," she said knowing full well he was right. "Since Eleanor hasn't cleared out yet, I'll head back home tonight so I can go to Jinx's meeting and be back in the morning."

"Fine. Just bring hot coffee this time," Marshall said as he leaned his frame to the right to avoid the french fry Mary flung at his head.

***

The remainder of their day had passed rather quietly. The time in the office was spent trying to get all the outstanding paperwork on their desks out of the way. There was way too much for one person, so Mary hunkered down and did her share with minimal whining. She could see Marshall was working away with his head down and eyes darting between his desk and computer. That coupled with Eleanor being out of the office, left Mary with no one to antagonize. So it was either paperwork or silent boredom. She had chosen the paperwork. At least that way she could make sure they were out of the office at a reasonable hour.

About 7pm, Stan was making his way out of the office. He checked in with his Inspectors and after being told all their witnesses were taken care of and most of the paperwork as well, he ordered them to leave the office. "We don't know how long before this situation with Matthew can be resolved. I don't need you two going into it already exhausted. Whatever paperwork isn't finished, just take with you. Eleanor can pick it up in a few days. I'm sure she is going to want to visit with Matthew." Stan's voice softened just a little as he talked about Eleanor and it did not go unnoticed.

Marshall tilted his head and looked at Mary with _I told you so_ written all over his face as he said, "Will do Chief. Check in with you in the morning. Night."

As soon as Stan turned his back and made his way toward the elevator, Mary grabbed the rubber band ball she had hidden in her desk and launched it at Marshall. His reflexes being what they were, he was able to grab it and fling it back at her in a single motion. Mary pushed her chair hard away from the desk and the ball went sailing by her, slamming into the glass wall of the conference with a loud thud as Stan entered the elevator and pushed the button

"What was that?" he hollered looking back into the office.

"Nothing Stan. Night Stan," they both yelled back innocently.

"I swear if you two don't…" The elevator doors closed on Stan and they could no longer hear him.

The only sound left in the office was the laughter of the two Inspectors as they gathered their belongings.


	5. Family Matters

**Ch 5: Family Matters**

**A/N: It's late and I am so exhausted right now, but Mary won't shut up and it is probably the only quiet time I'll have for awhile so here it goes.**

Mary had left the office smiling and in a fairly good mood, which was no small feat. She would never admit it to anyone, especially to Marshall, but it was the banter and bickering with her unlikely partner that helped her get through most days. Without it, she was often at a loss to deal with the rest of her life. 'Thank you God, if you do exist, that there is at least one thing, one person I know I can count on,' she thought to herself as she pulled up in front of her house and killed the engine. 'Here goes nothing.'

She took a deep breath as she opened the door to her house and walked in. The sound of laughter from somewhere within stopped her dead in her tracks. Her instincts had kicked in and the good mood faded as the knot in her stomach grew. She debated making a quick retreat, but it was too late.

"Mary, honey, is that you?"

She cringed at the sickeningly sweet sound of her mother's voice as the woman herself appeared in front of her.

"Mom, have you been drinking again?" Mary asked looking for an explanation as to why Jinx was acting so, well, motherly. It was disconcerting and not how she would ever think to describe her mother.

"Oh, Mary. Stop it." Jinx said laughing as she put her arm around Mary and starting leading her toward to the back of the house.

"Mom," she started saying as she pulled away from her mother's embrace, "I know this meeting tonight is important to you and I want to be ther…" Her whole body tensed when she walked into the kitchen and she never finished her sentence. "What the fuck is going on? What are you doing here Raph?"

"You didn't return my call."

"And here we go again," Mary said throwing her arms up in the air. "Why is it so god damn difficult for all of you to get it through your heads that I have a job with responsibilities? I am not available every second of every freakin day to deal with all your crap."

"So I am just crap?" Raph said hurt.

"Jesus, Raph, that's not what I said. Don't put words in my mouth. I'm saying I don't get a lot of personal time during the day because I am working." Mary was so sick of having the same fight with them all of the time and now she was getting pissed off at herself for trying to the right thing by coming home instead of going to the safe house.

"Mary, Raph was just telling us about his childhood in the Dominican Republic." Jinx blurted out trying to distract everyone.

"What?" Mary snapped.

Brandi, who had been sitting quietly this whole time, finally spoke up. "Yeah Mare, turn's out he's quite the mama's boy."

"Brandi, please." Raph's voice was bordering between anger and desperation.

"C'mon Chico, tell her." Brandi said challenging him. "What are you scared?"

"Brandi!" All three cried in unison.

Everyone started talking at once and the room exploded into chaos. Mary stopped trying to speak and looked at the others in room trying to figure out at what point she had lost all control, but knowing full well it was the moment her mother showed up on her doorstep. That memory just served to remind her that she had never gotten to spend even a single day alone in her house. 'Maybe if I sold the house they'd all go away,' she thought to herself and half smiled, but it didn't last as the screaming around increased in volume.

"Will everyone just shut the fuck up already," Mary shouted. Enough was enough.

Everyone turned to look at her. She was wearing her best _I have a gun and will use it_ face and it worked. Jinx, Brandi and Raph all returned quietly to their seats at the kitchen counter.

"Raph," Mary said turning to look him directly in the eyes. "What is going on?"

"Well, I was trying to reach you to tell you that my mother is coming to visit."

"And that is so damn urgent because?" And that is when it hit Mary and she continued before he could speak, "Raph, when is she arriving?"

"Um, the day after tomorrow."

"And this is important to me because?" By this point, Mary knew she was not going to like his answer.

"Well, she wants to meet you."

"And that's what couldn't wait? Better yet, what you couldn't have told me sooner? I doubt she just booked her flight today Raph."

When he didn't respond, she continued. "Well, sorry, but maybe next visit."

"Mary, she..."

Mary held up her hand. "No. I'm not going to be around. I have…"

"See, I told you she'd pick work over you," Brandi spat. "That's the only thing that's important to her."

"Well, I see you didn't disappoint. Just how long did you wait to call him this morning? Was I even out of the house yet Brandi? Jesus Christ." Mary's fingers went through her hair as she pushed both hands over her head and let out a sigh. "You know what? I have a job to do. And if it means not being home for awhile, so be it. At this point, I'm looking at it as a vacation from this insanity."

"Mary, you don't mean that. My mother is expecting to meet you."

"Oh, I do mean it. Your mother will understand that I have a career that is important to me or she won't. Either way, it's not my problem."

"But she .."

"No. Maybe next time you should think about talking to me before you make promises you can't keep. I'm not going to discuss it anymore."

"What a bitch," Brandi said under her breath.

"You know what Brandi," Mary said trying to contain her rage. "If this is so important to you, you meet his mom." Brandi and Raph glanced at each other and then up at Mary confused. "Well, you two being so chummy and all. Just tell her that Brandi is me. Or better yet, that she misunderstood the name. I wouldn't want Brandi to get confused trying to remember to answer to a different name."

"Mary, please let's all talk about this."

"No, Mom. I came home for your meeting, but you're obviously not going so I need to get back to work."

"Now?" Jinx questioned. "Don't you think you owe it to Raph and your sister to work this out?"

"Ha! Because what I want or need doesn't matter right Mom?" Mary shook her head and continued more to herself, "Some things never change."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jinx asked taken aback.

"Never mind," Mary said half-heartedly. "I need to go."

Raph got up and moved toward her.

"Don't," Mary said firmly. "I am not going to do this now. I need to go and will stop home when I can. Just do me a favor this time and only call me if it really is an emergency."

It was now Raph that tensed at her putting him off. "Fine, Mary. Runaway to your job like you always do and expect everyone to accommodate you."

"I'm not the one with the unreasonable expectations around here."

"Dios Mio! Just go, but maybe this time we won't be waiting around for when you when you get back."

"We or you Raph! No one's forcing you to hang around." Mary couldn't believe he was trying to make her out to be the bad guy in this scenario and she had definitely had enough. "Do whatever you want," she said more calmly as she headed for the door.

"Fine. I will. Say hi to Marshall for me."

Mary stopped at Raph's words. 'What the fuck is that supposed to mean?' she thought to herself. She used all the restraint she had not to turn around and say it out loud. She didn't want round two, she wanted out.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself before walking out the door and slamming it behind her.

The night air felt good and she stood outside a few minutes allowing the coolness to surround her. As she walked around and opened the driver's side door to the probe, she looked at the house. Her house. The house that she now resented and knew would never become the home she had craved when she bought it. She started the car and wrote on her list, _call realtor_.

**The last couple of chapters have been short, but that's just the way the inspiration has been flowing. That does lead to the debate of shorter chapters, more updates or longer chapters, less updates. Push the little button below to weigh in with your preference. Next chapter we'll finally get Mary, Marshall and Matty under the same roof.**


	6. In the Still of the Night

**Ch: 6: In the Still of the Night**

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews. I felt good about the character dialogue and I'm glad to see that many of you agreed.**

Eleanor had used her time alone at the safe house to make a few phone calls. She had seen Marshall's personnel file, as well as those of Mary and Stan, before she decided to take the job in Albuquerque. While she may have made what she considered a quick decision to transfer, she certainly didn't make it blind. She made sure to read the employment histories of the people she would be working with, and also talked to several of her contacts about what was not kept in the files. That is why she had purposely rearranged the office on her first day. She knew Mary wouldn't take well to her presence and wanted to do something to throw her off balance. The unfortunate part was that in her haste to move to Albuquerque, she was out of touch for a few days and was unaware of the Inspector having been kidnapped or she may have done things differently. In the end though, she was slowly making her place and was holding her own as far as Mary was concerned.

Her calls today were to a friend in Washington that she knew had access to the background checks of all government employees, even those at the highest levels. She did not ask for classified information, but simply said there was a situation of a personal nature and requested information for U.S. Marshal Marshall R. Mann and that of his father, Retired Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert M. Mann. She was genuinely concerned about Marshall and hoped the request would not come to bite her in ass later on. After being told the information would be waiting for her when she returned to the office tomorrow, she went back to enjoying her last day with Matty.

It was after 8:00pm when Marshall walked into the house to wonderful smells from the kitchen that made him realize just how hungry he was. "Wow, I didn't realize I was bunking with Julia Child," he said as he saw Eleanor, apron and all, taking a large baking dish out of the oven.

"Oh, stop teasing," she responded with a large grin on her face.

"I'm not, Eleanor, not if it tastes as good as it smells," he said returning her smile as he watched her checking the pots on the stove. "I'm not used to coming home to such a meal and I guess I shouldn't get used to it since your leaving in the morning."

"Well, you'll have Mar..." she stopped as she realized what she was about to say and gave him an apologetic look.

"Exactly," he said laughing. "I believe I'm the cook in that partnership. Which is why I appreciate your effort all the more." He walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek before heading to his room to change.

Eleanor blushed and called after him, "Hurry up because it will be on the table in five minutes."

Marshall washed up and changed into more comfortable clothes. Despite the rocky start in the office, he genuinely liked Eleanor. And while he was glad that the situation between her and Mary seemed to be improving, he appreciated having another person to take the brunt of Mary's aggression. He stopped in Matty's room to check on him before heading back to the kitchen.

He and Eleanor sat at the table for almost 2 hours as he enjoyed a full meal, including dessert, and the conversation. They talked about nothing and everything, and she never once interrupted him when he went off on one of his tangents. When they were finished, he insisted that she let him do the dishes. She tried to refuse, but there was no arguing with him once he had made up his mind.

"Very well then," she said finally relenting, "I guess I'll just go pack then. Good night."

"Good night, Eleanor. Thank you for the great meal and the wonderful company."

"You're welcome Marshall. It was my pleasure."

He heard her stop at Matty's room before making her way to her own. He then turned his attention to the task at hand. He worked systematically. First he did the dishes, then the pots and pans. He then wiped down all the counters and the stove before sweeping the floor. Living alone for many years, he was used to taking care of household chores and he didn't want Eleanor to wake up to a mess after taking the time to make him such a nice meal.

It was almost 11:00pm by the time he finished, so he changed into his pajamas and sat down in the den to watch the local news. He settled into the big, comfortable recliner and grabbed the remote leaving his glock in its place. As he listened to the newscaster's summary of the day's events, his eyelids became heavy and he nestled even further into the chair as sleep overtook him.

***

Mary had left her house several hours ago and after driving aimlessly around the city, she had ended up at the office. Maybe it was Raph's last words to her, but for some reason she stopped herself from going directly to the safe house, to Marshall. The more she thought about it though, the angrier she became. Marshall was not only her partner, but also her best friend. Everyone knew that. Raph knew that. 'He's such an asshole, sometimes,' she thought to herself, 'I mean, I don't have a lot of experience, but I kinda thought that was what the whole best friend thing was about, being there for each other.'

She sat for awhile trying not to think about her situation, which only made her mind go into overdrive. "Screw this," she said grabbing her coat and keys. What she needed was some food and sleep. As she made her way out of the Sunshine Building, she knew that she could get everything she needed at the safe house and it was really the only place she wanted to be anyway.

After parking her car and having a quick conversation with the security detail, she made her way toward the house. She assumed everyone was sleeping, so she tried to be as quiet as possible as she entered. Walking back toward the kitchen, she heard the sound of the TV and redirected herself to the den.

***

Marshall's eyes flew open as he reached instinctively for his gun. In that millisecond, he registered that the TV was on and realized that he must have fallen asleep. Shaking his head, he thought to himself, 'Way to be jumpy, Mann. It's just the TV.' He started to reach for the remote to turn it off, when he heard the creak of the floorboards just outside the den. 'Or maybe not.' Not wanting to make any noise, he stayed still in the recliner with gun drawn and his eyes fixed on the doorway.

There was another creak as a body appeared from around the corner. He could tell by the clothing that it was not Eleanor and his body tensed readying itself to react, when he saw the familiar shade of golden hair.

"Jesus, Mary. Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Relax doofus, I come in peace," she said sarcastically. "Besides your not that good a shot anyway."

"What the hell are you doing sneaking around at this hour?' he said ignoring her comment. "I didn't think you'd be here until morning. Seriously, why the hell didn't you call to tell me you were coming?"

"I sent you a text about a half hour ago."

Marshall started searching his clothes.

"Um, I don't think your Captain America pjs have a pocket you moron," she said laughing. "Cute, by the way."

"Damn I must have left my phone on the dresser when I changed. So why are you here anyway?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

"It went that well tonight then, huh?"

"Peachy!" she answered in a tone that conveyed just the opposite. "So you got anything to eat around here?"

"Well you are in luck Milady, Eleanor made an amazing dinner tonight and I believe the leftovers are in the fridge." Marshall smiled and made a grand gesture with his hand toward the kitchen.

Mary laughed and said, "You really are such a dork."

"Yes, but you love me anyway."

"Good thing for you or I would have shot you a long time ago. You know that right?"

"I do. Now are you hungry or not?"

"Definitely hungry. Lead the way Captain," Mary said snickering.

Marshall rolled his eyes and headed toward the kitchen.

"You honestly didn't think I was just going to let that go, did you?"

He just shook his head as he opened the fridge and gathered the various containers. He opened each one, spooning the contents onto a plate and then placed it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. While it was heating he gathered utensils and a napkin, setting them on the table. Then he poured a tall glass of milk and placed it in front of her.

Mary watched him as he busied himself and for the first time all night felt at ease. There was something so comforting about being with someone that knew exactly what you needed. She heard the ding of the microwave and smiled as the plate was placed in front of her. "Wow, Eleanor really cooked all of this."

"Yes. We had a very lovely meal this evening."

"Oh my god, so good." Her mouth was so full she could barely get the words out.

Marshall started to laugh, when they both jumped up.

"What the fuck was that?" Mary said as Marshall held up a hand indicating for her to stand down.

"It's okay. It's just Matthew," he replied as he headed down the hallway.

"And it's okay?" she questioned as she followed him. "Cause it didn't sound okay to me."

Eleanor appeared and was about to enter Matty's room. "Oh Mary, I didn't know you were here."

"And hello to you too."

"It's okay Eleanor, I'll get him," Marshall said entering the nursery, "you have to go to the office in the morning."

"I don't mind, really," she said eyeing Mary, "I don't want to interrupt anything."

Mary gave Eleanor a _what's your problem _look and was about to open her mouth when Marshall said, "Nothing to interrupt. Mary was just having some leftovers. I'll take care of this. You get some sleep."

"Okay," Eleanor responded as she returned Mary's gaze. "I'll see you in the morning then."

Marshall was already picking up Matthew from the crib, when Mary entered the room.

"Is he sick? What's wrong with him?"

"He's not sick, we had him checked out. He does this every night about the same time and Eleanor is convinced it's nightmares." He turned his attention to the baby, "Shh, big guy. It's okay. Shh."

Mary watched in amazement as her badass partner with the dorky exterior cradled the baby in his arms, instantly chasing away the demons and calming him down. Then she thought to herself, 'I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. He's been taking care of me like that for years.' She didn't realize that she now had a goofy smile on her face as she stared at the scene in front of her.

"What?" Marshall asked self-consciously when he noticed Mary smiling at him oddly.

"Huh, nothing," she said returning to reality. "I just…well, you're very good with him. So, what now? Is there anything I can do?"

"No, I think I got it. Actually, you might as well finish eating and get some sleep. Take my room, back down the hall and to the right."

"Are you sure? Aren't you planning on sleeping tonight?"

"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine."

"Um, okay. I'll see you two boys in the morning," Mary said unconvinced but not wanting to get into it with Marshall at this point. "Night."

"Night Mare," he said with a warm and genuine smile.

**I really struggled with this chapter because Mary wouldn't shut up. I had half of the chapter written before I realized that I had gone off on a tangent and it was not what I wanted for the story. So, getting back on track was tough. I really didn't want to stop at this point, but continuing would have made the chapter way too long. Let me know what you think. **


	7. Not a Typical Situation

**Ch 7: Not a Typical Situation**

**A/N: This story is most likely going to continue to be character driven and about relationships, and less about the assignment. That may very well change, but I wouldn't bet on it. I hope you will all continue to read and enjoy it all the same. And your continued feedback is much appreciated! **

Mary woke slowly. She stretched her body across the queen size bed trying to regain control over her muscles. As she did so, she took a deep breath against the pillow. 'mmm,' she thought to herself. 'I know that smell, that wonderful mix of clean and spice.' She rolled over and wrapped her arm around the pillow breathing deeper. 'mmm, Marshall,' came out of her mouth as she released her breath.

"Yes."

Mary sat up startled, not realizing that her last thought had escaped her lips, to see Marshall standing at the end of the bed staring at her with a questioning crooked eyebrow.

"Huh? Wha..what are you staring doofus? What time is it?"

"It's about 7:30am and I'm not staring. I was just answering you," Marshall responded trying to suppress the grin at seeing her go through her stages of waking.

"What the hell are you talking about and why are you in here anyway?"

"Um, Mare, this is my room. Remember?"

She narrowed her eyes and stared him conveying, _don't fuck with me._

"Easy, killer. I was just using the bathroom," he said. And it was true, just not the whole truth. When he had exited the bathroom, her sleeping form had mesmerized him. As she started to stir, he headed for the door. It was only when she said his name, or more accurately had sleepily moaned his name, that he went weak in the knees and couldn't move. "My toothbrush is in this one." He pointed back toward the inner part of the bathroom.

She narrowed her eyes a little more before relaxing and letting her features soften. "Do I smell bacon? And coffee?" she said excitedly.

"Eleanor is making breakfast," he replied with a smile. "Whoever said the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, obviously never met you." He ducked as a pillow came flying at his head. He picked it up and tossed it back toward the bed as she climbed from under the covers. "Whoa, there. I didn't take you for the cowgirl type."

Mary looked at him confused until he motioned toward her pajamas. 'Oh, that,' she thought remembering what she had on.

"Yee haw," she said flatly. "Since my bags are still in the car, I was forced to choose from your ridiculously juvenile pajama collection." Her mouth turned up into a wicked grin and her voice was filled with insinuation as she continued, "Why you don't mind, do you cowboy?" Mary saw the color in his cheeks rise just a little before subsiding.

It took all of Marshall's strength to stay in control and he cursed his stupid legs for not making their getaway earlier. He took a deep breath and relaxed. "Why no ma'am, I surely don't," he said doing his best John Wayne imitation as he headed toward the door. "And Mare, next time you want to get into my pants…" he didn't finish his statement as her shoe came flying toward him and he closed the door behind him to block it.

***

After having two satisfying home cooked meals in a row, Mary was actually sorry to see Eleanor leave. "You know," she said turning toward Marshall, "I think she's starting to grow on me."

"Sure, one pie and I'll be out of a best friend."

"She makes pie!" Mary said practically drooling.

Marshall rolled his eyes as he picked up Matty from the high chair and headed toward the living room.

"So now what?" Mary said following after him.

"Now I am going to read to my little friend here while you get your bags out of the car and get settled in."

"Sounds like a plan."

Mary spent the morning acclimating herself with her new environment. After getting her bags, she checked the room where Eleanor had been staying. 'Not bad,' she thought. She saw that Eleanor had stripped the bed, so she grabbed sheets from the hall closet and made the bed. Then she began moving all of Marshall's things from the master bedroom to the smaller one before unpacking her things in their place.

Before she realized it, a couple of hours had passed. 'Hmm, it's awful quiet in this house. I wonder what those boys are up to?' she thought as she made her way to the other part of the house. She didn't hear anything, so she stuck her head around the corner to look into the room, but didn't see anyone. The furniture was facing away from her, so she walked into the room to get a better view. What she saw next stopped her in her tracks. There, on the couch, was Marshall sprawled out on his back with Matthew snuggled into his chest and they were both sound asleep.

Mary couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of her as she grabbed a blanket from the back of the chair. She carefully laid it across the pair wishing she had a camera to capture the moment. "Jesus," she said softly to herself as she carefully brushed a few stray hairs back off Marshall's face, "I'm becoming a bigger softy than this doofus."

As Mary left the room, Marshall smiled as he adjusted his hands on Matty's small back.

The rest of the afternoon passed without incident. Marshall basically did everything as far as Matty was concerned and Mary watched in wonder at how good he was with the baby. She was glad he wasn't asking much of her, but his good mood was starting to get to her. "What's with the mood, Mary Poppins?"

"Huh?" Marshall replied as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

"Don't "huh" me. I feel like any minute your going to break out into song with Dick Van Dyke."

"Well excuse me. I forgot the Wicked Witch of the West was in the house," Marshall replied sarcastically and made a silly face at Matty, who started to laugh.

"And she's packing, so you better pick your allies carefully kid," she said looking at Matty. "So who's it going to be? Me or supercalifragilisticexpialidocious over there?"

Matty looked at Mary as she said the silly word and then before she could react, he stuck out his tongue and made a big raspberry sending mushy carrot everywhere in a three foot radius.

"Alrighty then," she said as she looked down at the mess on her clothes.

"That's my boy," Marshall said grabbing the baby's hand and slapping it against his own in a high five.

Mary calmly said, "I'm going to go get cleaned up. Why don't you boys do the same."

"Okay," Marshall responded concerned about the lack of anger on Mary's part. He grabbed the baby and headed down the hallway.

Mary stayed in her seat in the kitchen and held up her fingers as she counted, "Three, two, one."

"MARY!"

'Who's laughing now cowboy?' she thought as she sat back and enjoyed the screaming from the other end of the house as Marshall searched for his belongings. The ringing of her cell phone interrupted her victory and her grin vanished as she looked at the screen and saw that it was Raph.

"Someone better be dead," she said and then she hit the button to answer the call.

***

Eleanor had been sad to leave Matty, but was anxious to return to the office and collect the information she had requested from her friend in Washington. She logged on to her computer and as promised, there was an email waiting for her. She grabbed a cup of coffee and settled in at her desk. "Let's see what we have here," she said to an empty office as she opened the background check of Robert M. Mann.

She scanned the report quickly skipping over his employment history and service record. She already knew the Mann family had a history of law enforcement and an exemplary reputation. That was not her current interest and finally she came to what she was looking for. First it listed Robert's parents' names, DOB and education history. 'Here we go,' she thought looking at the information that was listed next:

Marital Status: Married

Wife's name: Margaret Elizabeth Fitzpatrick

Date of Marriage:06/20/1969

Children: Marshall Robert Mann DOB 01/15/1971

Michael John Mann DOB 04/07/1981, deceased 07/19/1991

"Well, that confirms it," Eleanor said.

"Confirms what?" Stan said walking toward her desk.

"Oh, good morning Chief. I didn't hear you come in."

"Obviously. What is it that has captured your attention?"

"Oh, it's nothing," she said closing the email quickly. "Just some information from a friend. So how are you this morning? Can I get you some coffee?" Eleanor said trying to change the subject as she got up from her desk.

"I'm fine, just fine," Stan said as he looked at her curiously. "Yes, some coffee would be nice. Thank you." Then he shrugged his shoulders and made his way to his office.

***

"I ordered a pizza," Mary said as Marshall came back into the kitchen.

"You didn't have to do that. I was going to cook."

"Well, it's done," she snapped back.

"Oookay," Marshall said cautiously. "Then I'm just going to go watch a little TV until it gets here. I'll be in the den if you need anything."

"Whatever."

For the life of him, he could not figure out what had happened. They seemed to have had a pleasant day. 'Even Mary had been in a decent mood,' he thought to himself remembering the comment she had made when she thought he was sleeping. He grabbed the remote and settled into the chair still replaying the events in his head. There was no way she was mad about what happened with Matty. He heard her laughing at him when he realized she had moved his things into the other bedroom. Shortly after that though, he was in Matty's room when he heard her slam the bedroom door. "What the hell could have happened in that five minutes?" he said to the empty room.

Mary sat in the kitchen and watched Marshall walk toward the den. She knew she was acting pissy, but she couldn't help it. She was just so angry with Raph. And she wished she could talk to Marshall about it, but she didn't know how. Maybe because she had always downplayed her relationship with Raph in the past, letting him believe there was no "relationship". Meanwhile, she has convinced everyone, including herself, that Marshall is her best friend. Yet, she never told him about Raph proposing or about her suspicions of Raph and Brandi. She had blown off Raph's comment last night about Marshall, but now he had accused her of wanting more from her partner than just friendship. 'Okay, maybe not accused. But definitely insinuated," Mary said to herself.

The doorbell rang and Mary pulled herself from her thoughts to answer it. She paid and headed back to the kitchen, box in hand. "Pizza's here!"


	8. Don't Call Me Baby

**Ch. 8: Don't Call Me Baby**

**A/N: I knew I should have finished this story before posting it because while I am having fun with the characters, I feel like I am stuck in an endless loop. **

Mary was lying in the bed she had slept so soundly in the night before staring at the ceiling. She had said little during dinner despite Marshall's best attempt to coax her into talking. She knew that he knew something was wrong, but she just wasn't ready yet. In the end, she claimed not to be hungry and excused herself. After a long, hot shower, she curled up in the bed and tried to will herself to sleep.

Her effort was rewarded with several hours of tossing and turning. She had not bothered to change the sheets on the bed when she moved Marshall's things into the smaller bedroom. And now, the scents she had found so comforting this morning were haunting her. All she could think about was Marshall. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She got up and tore the sheets from the bed. She collapsed down on the naked mattress and thought about her earlier conversation with Raph.

"_Mary, where are you?"_

"_Working. So this had better be important."_

"_It's just…well, we never got to finish talking."_

"_Oh, we finished alright. I thought me walking out the door had made that clear."_

"_Mary, please. Will you just listen?"_

"_To what Raph? To excuses as to why you didn't tell me about your plans for me to meet you mother? Or that she was even coming? For christ sake Raph, did you ever think that maybe I might have an opinion on the matter?"_

"_This is all my fault! Dios Mio! Just because it's not convenient for you, nothing is ever convenient for you. How am I supposed to talk to you when you are always at work?"_

"_Don't give me that bullshit. It's not like we haven't seen each other lately. You had plenty of opportunity to tell me and you know I hate surprises."_

"_When was I supposed to tell you Mary? When you come crawling into my bed in the middle of night because it seems to me that the last thing you ever want to do is talk? _

"_That's not fair."_

"_What's fair? You give everything you have to your job, to Marshall. And at the end of the day, I get whatever small part of you is left over."_

"_Yes, my job takes a lot out of me, but that's not all that I am. And what the hell does Marshall have to do with anything."_

"_Seriously, Mary?_

"_Seriously."_

"_He's your partner, your best friend and the only person you have ever truly let in."_

"_What the hell are you talking about?"_

"_Nothing, Mary. Nothing at all."_

"_Obviously it's not nothing."_

"_Just let it go."_

"_No! We are not finished."_

"_Yes, Mary. I think we are."_

The last part hadn't registered until she realized that the line had gone dead. Even as she replayed the conversation in her head, she still couldn't believe that he had actually ended it. She was angry, really angry. Being angry was something she could deal with. All the conflicting thoughts and emotions battling it out inside her, were not.

"Who the fuck does he think he is?" she said as she punched the mattress with her clenched fist. "He thinks he knows me. That he's got it all figured out. Well, he doesn't know shit." She continued punching harder and harder until tears started to streak her face. She curled up in a ball and hugged herself trying to regain control and keep the sobs at bay. Then she heard the cries from the room down the hall. 'Get over yourself, Mary. Get your ass up and be useful.' She jumped off the bed and wiped the tears from her face.

She collided with Marshall as she stepped into the hall.

"Hey Mare, slow down."

"What are you doing out lurking out here?" she said defensively avoiding eye contact.

"Not lurking, I just went to have a little midnight snack," he replied looking at her curiously.

"It's not midnight," she said flatly as she turned away from him and toward the nursery.

"No, but…hey," he said placing an arm on her shoulder and turning her to face him. When he bent down to try and meet her eyes, he could see that she had been crying. "You good?" he asked.

"Fine, but I'll be better once Matthew calms down."

He knew better than to pressure her. Whatever it was, she was still trying to work through it. Even though he hated seeing her hurt, he would back off and give her the space she needed.

"You want me to get him," Marshall offered.

"No. It's okay. I'll sit with him. I wasn't sleeping anyway."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," she said. Then she looked him directly in the eyes and told him wordlessly not to worry about her.

***

Mary woke the next morning to gentle knocking at the bedroom door. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was already 10:00am.

"Mare?" Marshall called from beyond the door. "Mare, are you awake? Can I come in?"

"Yeah. I'm up," she responded. She had no idea when she had actually fallen asleep, but it definitely wasn't until some time earlier that morning. While she was glad her partner had let her sleep in, she was also feeling a little guilty.

"Hey," he said as he entered slowly and looking at her carefully trying to gauge her mood.

"It's okay," she said reassuringly, "and thanks."

"You're welcome. Now what did you do with Mary?" He grinned and started looking under the blanket.

"Very funny. Now what the hell do you want?"

"That's my girl. I just wanted to let you know that I have to check up on Dave Meyers. It seems like there was some kind of incident at work."

"That nimrod? I'm so glad he's one of yours."

"Gee, thanks. Anyway, I have to get going soon."

"You're leaving me alone with the kid?" Mary said, her voice filled with fear.

"Relax. I'm not going to be that long. You can do this."

"What the hell do I know about babies?"

"You may be able to fool everyone else and even yourself, but I know better."

"What are you talking about?"

"Mare, who raised Brandi? Who was the person that took responsibility for her from the moment she was born?"

She turned away trying to avoid the question.

"Look at me Mare?" Marshall waited for her to make eye contact before continuing, "You CAN do this. I know you can. I'm going to swing by to see Dave and then after I stop at the office to check in, I'll be back. Okay?"

"Okay," she said sarcastically. "But tonight, I expect you to cook that dinner you were talking about."

He smiled at her and nodded as he headed toward the bedroom door. "As you wish."

***

"Okay kid," Mary said picking up Matthew so that the she could look him in the eye. "It looks like it's just you and me today. So what do you want to do first?"

The baby giggled and squirmed in her arms, which brought a smile to her face that quickly faded when she smelled a less than pleasant odor fill the air. "Gotta go straight for the jugular, huh kid? Okay, I respect that. Let's see if I can pass the test," she said as she headed down the hall.

She couldn't remember the last time she had been around a baby and she had been secretly scared to death of being left alone with Matthew. There were witnesses that had babies, but she never once had to take care of any of them. 'Christ, I've never even held any of them,' she thought. As she changed him, Marshall's words came back to her. "He's right you know," she said to the baby, "I did take care of Brandi, even though I was just a kid myself. Man, funny the things we tuck away in the recesses of our minds."

When she had finished, she placed him in his crib. Marshall had said that it was probably about time for him morning nap, so she figured she'd give it a shot. She turned on the mobile over the bed and sat in the rocking chair as the music filled the air. Not five minutes later, both of them were asleep.

About an hour later, the vibration of her cell phone roused Mary. She grabbed it from her belt and saw that it was Dershowitz. 'Well, this can't be good,' she thought to herself as she answered it.

"This is Mary," she whispered making her way out of the room. "Just a sec…"

"Mary, its Bobby D. Why are you whispering?"

"Don't want to wake the baby," she said without thinking. 'Shit,' she thought. 'Wake up, Mary.'

"The what?!"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. There's just a baby sleeping and I…was there something you wanted Dershowitz?" she finally said changing the subject. "Or did you just call to brighten my day?"

**Okay. I think this chapter has been therapeutic. I didn't plan on stopping here, but I want to get things moving along. I have two options in my head for what happens next and they are battling it out as we speak. I figured it was better to post this follow up to the last chapter now and not make you wait until a winner is declared. I hope you enjoyed as much as I am enjoying all your feedback. **


	9. Walk Like a Mann

**Ch. 9: Walk like a Mann**

**A/N: Hopefully things are picking up and the ideas will continue to flow. Thank you so much for the reviews and encouragement.**

***

Marshall's visit with his witness had thankfully been quick and uneventful. Dave had been convinced that one of the other employees at the Surplus Warehouse was spying on him. Marshall listened dutifully to his tale and then made some inquiries of his own. As it turned out, the woman was interested in Dave, but not because she wanted to kill him. Marshall couldn't figure out what the woman could possibly see in his witness, but to each his own. He told Dave not to worry and made a mental note to do a background check on her just to be safe.

Since he was able to wrap up the situation with Dave in less than an hour, he decided to stop home before going to the office. He grabbed the mail on his way in and starting sorting through it as he checked phone messages. As soon as he heard his mother's voice, he froze and listened.

"Hi sweetie. I hope you are well. I didn't call your cell because I'm not sure what your schedule is these days and I didn't want to bother you. It's just that something is going on with your father and I'm concerned. I know you two don't always seen eye to eye, but…just please call me when you can. I love you."

"Shit," he cursed under his breath realizing the time/date stamp for the message was 2 days ago. He picked up the phone and called his parents' house.

After a few rings, a gruff voice said, "Mann residence."

'Shit,' Marshall said again keeping the thought to himself this time. "Hey Dad, its Marshall."

"Course it is unless some stranger has started calling me dad."

'Ornery as usual, why couldn't Mom have answered the phone.' Then he said to his father, "So how are things up North? Are you keeping busy?"

"Fine, just fine. Plenty to do around here, otherwise I'm down by the river."

"You and Mr. Peters still competing for the title of king of fly fishing?"

"Peters! That old coot. I better not catch him anywhere near my spot on that river." The rivalry between Robert Mann and Howard Peters had become legendary in the small town in Colorado. The Mann's had retired there just over 12 years ago and it only took one fishing competition for the two men to stake their claims by the river dividing the locals into two camps. Marshall was glad his dad had a hobby, but really couldn't understand how two grown men could act so ridiculous over fishing.

"So, is Mom around? She left me a message the other day at home and I just got it now."

"No, your mother's not here. She had to run into town."

"Oh. Well can you tell her I called."

"Will do."

"And Dad, please tell her to call me on my cell number. I'm on assignment and I have no idea when I'll be home again."

"Well if you're working I'm sure whatever she wanted can wait. The job comes first son," his dad said in a tone that Marshall recognized all too well and he rolled his eyes in response as he took a seat on the couch. "Back when I started in the Service, it was a commitment that one did not take lightly. One my first assignment in the field…"

Marshall's eyes glazed over as his dad continued to speak on the other end of the line. He couldn't remember how many times he had listened to this same exact lecture. Closing his eyes, he lay his head back and tried to remember to say the occasional "yes, Sir". He let him go on like that for awhile, but finally he knew he had to put himself out of his misery.

"Excuse me, Dad. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm getting a call from work and you know it's important that I take it."

"Yes, son. Go right ahead."

"And Dad, don't forget to tell Mom that I called and to call me back. Okay?" he said making a mental note to try his mother again in the morning if he didn't hear from her.

"Sure. Take care of yourself."

"Thanks. You too." Marshall was not comfortable with the idea of lying to his dad, but sometimes it was just necessary. Besides, he was due in the office and really anxious to get everything taken care of so he could get back to Mary and Matty. He was unaware that at his last thought a smile replaced the uneasy expression he had worn while talking to his father.

***

"Damn!" Mary cursed as she hung up the phone with Dershowitz. "Damn, damn, damn." She realized she should have known better than to think things might actually go smoothly for a change. He had called to tell her about a body they just discovered across town. The guy was a local distributor, referred to on the street as "Snake". She had less than patiently waited for him to get to the part that concerned her and instantly regretted it the moment the words were out of his mouth. She thanked him for the heads up and hit 1 on speed dial for Marshall.

"C'mon, c'mon," she said after he didn't answer on the first couple of rings. He finally answered on the fourth ring.

"Don't tell me you need help already," Marshall said jokingly as he answered the phone.

"Where the hell are you? What took you so long to answer?" Mary snapped back, but he could hear the concern in her voice and knew something was up.

"I just stopped home for a minute. What happened?"

"I got a call from Dershowitz."

"That can't be good."

"Never is."

"Tell me."

"ABQPD just found the body of a local distributer called Snake. Turns out their boy has ties to the Harrison organization. According to Dershowitz, when they ran his name about a million red flags popped up. He's got guys contacting the DOJ, but thought that he'd give us a heads up just in case _we were interested_."

"What did you tell him?"

"Nothing. I just thanked him as usual. Marshall, you know how I feel about coincidences."

"Sit tight. I'm on my way."

"No. We're fine here. You need to go to the office and have Eleanor look into this Snake character while you do a threat assessment. Also, someone's got to talk to the DOJ."

"I know, but I don't like this," Marshall said tightening his grip on the steering wheel.

"I'm calling Stan now to fill him in and I'll double up on the security detail outside," she said trying to reassure herself as much as her partner. "Call me as soon as you know anything."

"Will do. And Mare…" There were always so many things he wanted to say in these situations and he hesitated knowing that most of them probably weren't appropriate.

"I know," she answered without him having to continue and then she disconnected.

She was grateful that Matthew was still sleeping and hoped he would continue to do so while she called Stan. After giving him the same recap she had given Marshall, she asked him to authorize the additional security and told him that Marshall was on his way up to the office. Stan assured her that they had it under control and would keep her in the loop, but she didn't like not being able to do something more to help.

"Well, it's not like you don't have your hands full Mary," she said as she made her way back to the nursery to check on the baby. He had been asleep just over an hour and Mary was silently hoping that he would stay that way for at least a little while longer as she went and grabbed the laptop from Marshall's room.

While she signed on to the laptop, she called Dershowitz back and asked him for a list of Snake's local dealers, "just out of curiosity" she told him. He knew better and so did she, but all knew that certain things could not be discussed and that's the way it was. If they were lucky, maybe one of them will have some information about who Snake reports to within the organization. She typed all the data into an email and called Eleanor.

"It's Mary," she said. "Is Marshall there yet?"

"Yes, he just arrived."

"Good. I just sent you email with some info from ABQPD. I need to find out everything about these individuals and their relationship with one Harry Burke a.k.a. Snake. Give anything you find to Marshall so he can work it into the threat assessment. And get Stan to get some agents out there to find these guys. If they so much as piss, I want to know about it."

"Right on it," Eleanor responded. Mary respected the fact that Eleanor could take her crap and dish it back, but what she respected the most was her ability to stay on task and get results when needed.

Mary hung up the phone and took a long sip from her water bottle. It was going to be a long day and, despite her catnap, she knew her lack of sleep was going to catch up with her later. Remembering that she hadn't slept caused her to think about the reason why for the first time all day. "Damn him," she said to herself thinking about Raph, but her thoughts were interrupted by crying from down the hall. "Thank God for small favors."

"Hey kid. What's all the fuss about? Shhh," she said picking him up out of the crib. "It's okay. It's all gonna be okay." And silently prayed that she wasn't lying as she hugged him a little tighter and headed back toward the kitchen. "You hungry big guy? What's your lunch preference today? Anything but the carrots, okay." And she couldn't help but give him a little peck on the cheek as she set him down in the high chair.

"Okay, the squash it is," she said opening the jar and grabbing a spoon. "And if you're lucky, I'll mash you a banana for dessert." Matthew made a silly face and giggled. Mary couldn't help but smile. "You know, I think I may be finally starting to get the whole baby thing. But seriously, what's with the baby talk? I mean it's cute on you, but for adults?" she said looking at him questioningly as he began to babble away. "Exactly my point, they look like idiots. I'm glad we agree on that."

After he finished eating, Mary cleaned up and took him into the den. She laid him down on his back on a blanket underneath some kind of arched toy with all kinds of baby friendly things hanging from it and went to retrieve the laptop from the kitchen. She came back into the room to see that he had flipped over onto his tummy and was trying to get himself up into crawling mode. "Whoa, big guy. Where do you think you're going? Trying to make a break for it already and I thought things were going so well." He hadn't really moved very far, but she turned him around so that he was facing the toy again.

"You really shouldn't be in such a rush. Believe me, enjoy your little life while you can because before you know it, well I guess that's a discussion that can wait awhile. But one day, you will be a man and unfortunately a lot can happen in the meantime. Just promise me one thing, you'll never break up with a girlfriend over the phone. Have the guts to at least face her. Okay? Now let's see if you can grab that rubber ring over there and I'm going to see if I can't figure out what Dershowitz's friend Snake has been up to the last couple of weeks."

***

Marshall was glad he was so close to the office when Mary called. While he would have preferred to go right back to the safe house, if he had to go the office first he wanted it to take as little time as possible. Something definitely didn't feel right to him about this whole situation. He nodded at Stan and walked over to Eleanor. "Hey, I need all the info you can find out from ABQPD about a body the found today. Drug dealer called Snake."

"Already on it. Chief's on the phone with the FBI in Seattle about Harrison," Eleanor said as she handed him a copy of the initial police report and picked up her ringing phone.

He was looking it over as he headed back to his desk when he heard Stan raise his voice.

"I don't care what you have to do or how many agents you have to bring in," Stan yelled at the person unfortunate enough to be on the other end of the phone. "You find him and you find him now! And I can guarantee you the next call you get is going to be the Attorney General." With that, he slammed the receiver down. "God damn it!"

"Stan?" Marshall questioned.

"Harrison's in the wind."

Before Stan could even get all the words out, Marshall was on the move. As he headed to the elevator he yelled back, "Make sure the extra security is on the way and call up to Santa Fe. Tell them we need to know every contact Harrison has in New Mexico and we needed 5 minutes ago."

"Go, just go. We got it covered," Stan said shouting after him as the elevator doors closed.

***

**In the words of our favorite Marshal Marshall, "Dun dun dun…" Please R&R. Thanks!**


	10. Deperate Times Call for Desperate Mar

**Ch 10: Desperate Times Call for Desperate Marshals**

**A/N: This chapter is a little different, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.**

As soon as the elevator doors opened on the ground floor, Marshall was dialing Mary's cell phone. "Damn it!" he cursed as he checked his phone and tried again while climbing into the driver's seat. "Shit!" Something was definitely wrong and he sped out of the lot in the direction of the safe house. He tried Mary's phone two more times with no luck.

"Stan," Marshall said desperately as he drove, "something's not right. Mary's phone is going right to voicemail and I can't reach the security detail. I need back up now. I'm five minutes out."

"They're on the way and I'm right behind you."

There were only two times in his life when Marshall had felt truly desperate. The first was when he had to watch helplessly as his brother slipped away and the second was when Mary had been kidnapped earlier that year. He prayed with all he had in him that this did not turn into another one of those times. As he pulled up in front of the house, he saw the car of the agents on duty sitting empty on the opposite side of the street. "Oh God," was all he could muster as the alarms went off his head. He leapt from the vehicle and was met by the cavalry.

He ordered a perimeter set up and agents dispersed to cover the back of the house, while another two to took the front corners. Marshall made his way to the front door followed by yet another agent. The door was locked and he grabbed his key not wanting to spook anyone that may be inside by busting down the door. Guns drawn, they immediately spread out through the rooms in the front of the house, but found nothing. Marshall passed through the kitchen toward the den. There, he saw the laptop on the table still running, but no sign of Mary or Matty. He motioned toward the hallway and headed back toward the bedrooms scared to death of what he might find.

***

Mary had done some digging of her own into Snake's affairs. He had been picked up a couple of weeks ago for possession and released with no charges filed. She knew the D.A. was not going to let one of Albuquerque's biggest distributors just walk, so some kind of deal must have been cut. She had just dialed Eleanor to see if she could try and get any info out of the DOJ about Burke when the signal died on her cell phone. She stared at the lack of bars on the screen, but tried to dial again anyway with the same result. Her instincts kicked in and she knew something wasn't right.

She didn't want to leave the baby alone, but she wanted even less to expose him. So she left him on the blanket as she headed toward the front of the house and stood against the front wall to steal a glance out the window. The same government issue car was parked across the street, but she couldn't make out anyone sitting inside. Without a second thought, she went back to the den to get Matthew. Before sweeping him up in her arms, she drew her weapon and checked it. Then she headed for the bathroom off her bedroom. It was only accessible by the one door and the window was high and too small for a grown man. She felt this was the best defendable position in the house and if she needed to she could lay Matthew in the bathtub and he would be somewhat protected.

Mary sat in the tub holding Matthew close, gun drawn in the direction of the door. Her entire body was tense, yet she continued to speak soothing words into his little ears. "Don't worry. Everything's going to be okay. I'm right here. And Marshall, you see he's out there and he's not going to let anything happen to us. I trust him with my life and you can trust us with yours. And just as soon as we get out of here, I going to buy you a whole case of those carrots and you can spit them all over me. Deal? Peas too if you want?" Just then she heard the slight creak that the bedroom door makes when it's opened slowly. "Showtime," she whispered.

***

Marshall had started with the nursery and his room because the doors to those rooms were already opened. When he saw they were all clear, he moved on to Mary's room. He slowly opened the door and entered. The room was exactly as it had been that morning. On the one hand, he was relieved not to have found any sign of a struggle in the house. But on the other, he was petrified as to what could have happened. There was no way Mary would go down without a fight, but there was no sign of them anywhere. Then it clicked. The bathroom. He knew his partner. She would get Matty to the place she felt was the most defendable for her and the safest for him.

Without lowering his weapon, he took a few steps toward the bathroom door. His heart skipped a beat as he heard a faint noise from the other side. Matty? 'Please God, let them be okay.' The thought was repeating over and over in his head and the next few seconds felt like hours, but then he heard it again. It was definitely Matty. He positioned himself against the doorframe and called, "Mary!" as he held his breath waiting for a response.

"We're here!" she shouted releasing the breath she hadn't realized she was holding and squeezing Matty a little tighter. "We're here."

Marshall remembered to start breathing again and opened the bathroom door. He saw the shower curtain move and pulled it back to reveal Mary squatting the in the tub holding Matty in one arm and her gun in the other, now limp at her side. He couldn't hide his relief and didn't try. With a huge smile, he bent down to take Matty and made eye contact with Mary. Neither said a word, but their eyes remained locked conveying everything that needed to be said. Once he had Matty, he held out his hand to Mary to help her out of the tub. She held it tightly and let her fingers linger longer than necessary as she regained her footing.

"You good?" Marshall asked finally breaking the silence.

"Yeah. I'm good," she answered giving him the smile he knew all too well. It was the same one she gave him after that fateful night on the bridge with Norman. The look that said _No, I'm really not okay. But we're here, and together we'll get through it so that we can get up and do it all over again tomorrow._

As she let go of his hand, Marshall had to physically fight the urge to grab it again and pull her close. And just for a fraction of a second, he saw something flash in her eyes. He wasn't sure what it was, but it filled him with hope. 'Maybe, just maybe,' he thought. Then he shook his head bringing him back to reality.

"Mary, Marshall!" Stan's voice bellowed from the hallway. "Inspectors?"

"In here Stan," Marshall responded.

"Everyone okay? Mary?" Stan questioned as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm okay," she said and almost as if a switch had been turned on in her head she got right down to business. "Now does someone want to tell me what the fuck just happened here?"

Marshall smiled and thought to himself, 'That's my girl.' "I had just gotten to the office and was going to start on the threat assessment when we got word that Harrison was in the wind, so I came here and found Jack's car empty across the street."

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Those numb nuts at FBI lost Harrison. So much for 24 surveillance," Mary said condescendingly. Then she gave Marshall her _what are you talking about moron_ look and said, "Who's Jack?"

"Jack Taylor and Walter Reynolds?" Marshall said as if trying to make her remember, but Mary just shrugged. "The agents on security detail."

"Jack and Wally are fine," Stan said trying to regain control of the conversation. "When they noticed that the cell phone and radio frequencies were jammed, Wally went over a couple of blocks trying to pick up a signal to call it in and Jack headed toward the house to talk to Mary, but he saw someone on the roof of the house next door. When he called for him to stay where he was, the guy jumped and took off. Jack pursued on foot and finally caught up to him a few houses over." Stan rubbed his hand over his head and shifted his stance slightly before continuing, "turns out it's just a kid."

"Who's just a kid Stan?" Mary said exasperated as she tried to put the pieces together.

"Kid next door, maybe 15 years old, built himself a radio frequency jammer just for kicks. Probably bought all the parts on the damn internet," Stan answered in a voice that relayed his frustration with the situation.

"So you're telling me that all this is the result of some nerd practicing to be the next Unibomber?" Mary said seething. "Where the fuck is he? I swear to God I'll take the antenna off that jammer and…"

"Mary, there are children present," Marshall said reminding her of Matty's presence.

"He doesn't know what I'm saying."

"You may think that but studies show…"

Mary glared at Marshall. "I suggest you think very carefully before deciding whether or not you want to finish that statement."

"C'mon people." Stan said interrupting, "We got a lot of paperwork to finish up on this one and we have to get Matthew moved."

"You're not relocating him Stan, are you? Poor guy just got settled in here." Marshall was just getting used to the little guy and was genuinely concerned about moving him again. He looked over at Mary briefly while waiting for Stan to respond and could see she was also concerned.

"You both know he can't stay in this house. After today's events, you might as well paint a bull's eye on the roof. I'm not relocating him out of Albuquerque, not yet. But we've got to get him someplace safe and now. Then we need to find out if ABQPD's got any suspects in this Snake's murder and most importantly, we need to know where Harrison is. The second any connection is made between Harrison and Snake or anything in New Mexico for that matter, Matthew gets relocated." Stan held up his hands indicating it was not up for discussion and then turned to leave.

Mary and Marshall stood in the bedroom a moment longer looking at the baby and then it was as if a light bulb went off over their heads. They rushed out of the room calling out after their boss in unison, "Stan!"

***

**In response to all your wonderful reviews, I tried to break away from all dialogue and add a little action to move the story along. I'm not as comfortable in this area, so please do me a favor and let me know what you think. Thanks.**

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	11. Paradise by the Stovetop Light

**Ch. 11: Paradise by the Stovetop Light**

**A/N: I said I was taking a break, but here I am. I can't sleep and already started on this chapter, so figured I might as well finish it. Thanks again for all the kind words.**

"Now isn't this better than the Desert Sands?" Marshall said as Mary collapsed on the love seat in the sitting area of the extended stay inn.

"Yes, but I still don't understand why you gave in so easily," she complained, "Eleanor was about to cave. I know it."

"Are you kidding? If I let you continue to nag her, we would have ended up somewhere a lot worse than the Sands. There was no way she was going to approve a suite at the Plaza Grand."

"It was perfect for Matthew and you know she'd do anything for him."

"Anything within reason. And how exactly was it perfect for Matthew?"

"24 hour hotel security on top of our own detail, underground parking, room service and spa treatments."

"I'll concede on the first two points, but I doubt Matty will miss the hamburgers and facials," he said. "Besides, I like it here. We have 2 bedrooms, a sitting area, and a kitchenette. And as far as security goes, there are a lot less people going in and out all day making it much easier to figure out who doesn't belong."

"Since I'm the one you're stuck with and not Eleanor, maybe you ought to think about just whose ass you should be kissing."

Marshall simply raised an eyebrow at her and didn't say a word.

"Pervert," Mary said getting up and throwing a pillow at him. "And since we are stuck here without room service, you better be heading to the store because I'm still expecting that dinner tonight. Oh, and pick up a case of those baby food carrots too," she shouted back at him as she walked into the other room to check on the sleeping baby.

He looked at her like she was crazy, but he knew better than to question her request. Grabbing his keys, he headed out the door.

***

When Marshall got back from the store, he found the place very different from how he had left it. There was stuff everywhere. He could barely make himself a path from the door to the kitchen.

"So you still think this place was the best choice?" Mary said appearing from one of the bedrooms holding Matthew.

"Did they have to bring everything here?" he asked looking around at all the stuff that had obviously been relocated from the safe house along with them.

"Oh, it's not everything. I threatened to shoot them if they so much as thought about bringing one more thing into this apartment. I called Stan and he's sending Eleanor over in the morning to sort through all this crap and figure out what it is we really need." Matthew giggled and she turned her attention to him. "Keep laughing Giggles. You know this is all your fault. How can one little person require so much stuff?"

Marshall looked over at the scene in front of him. He had been so preoccupied by the state of the apartment that he hadn't noticed Mary was holding Matty. Not counting the bathtub, this was the first time he'd seen the two together since he had left Mary alone with the baby earlier that morning. 'Was that really only this morning,' he thought and smiled at seeing her so relaxed and comfortable in her new role. He didn't realize he was staring until she looked over and smiled back at him. They held each other's gaze, but then Matty squirmed restlessly in Mary's arms and the moment was gone.

"You hungry there, Giggles?" Mary asked turning her attention to the baby.

"Giggles?"

"Yeah, Giggles. Do you have a problem with it?"

"No. Not at all." Marshall shook his head as he headed into the kitchen mumbling to himself, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised coming from someone who calls her sister Squish."

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to know what _Giggles_ wanted for dinner," he said from around the corner where Mary couldn't see him laughing.

"Riiight," Mary said. "You know what, you can have the honor of feeding him while I go take a shower then." She walked over and handed him to Marshall. "Good luck with that," she said as she made her way back to the bedroom.

"Where's damn the high chair?" Marshall said looking around.

"Oh and you better watch your language. There are children present," she said pointing her finger as if she was scolding him before disappearing behind the door.

"Mary!" he screamed, but the only reply was the sound of her infectious laugh coming from beyond the door and he couldn't help laughing himself.

***

"Seriously, you don't have to. I mean look at the state of this place. We can just order a pizza," Mary said while she was getting the baby ready for bed a couple of hours later.

"No. A deal's a deal," Marshall said as he handed her a diaper and clean pajamas for Matty. "So if you wouldn't mind finishing up here and putting Matty, sorry I mean Giggles, down for the night, I'll just go see what I can throw together."

"Yeah. You do that," she said sarcastically knowing full well that Marshall was not the type to just throw something together. There was thought and planning involved in everything he did, even when he was spontaneous his mind was always working. Honestly, she didn't know how he functioned without a constant headache. 'Just another one of the mysteries that is Marshall Mann,' she thought jokingly to herself until she remembered her recent conversation with Eleanor. Her thoughts turned serious as she reminisced about the past years with her partner and best friend. 'God Mary, he has been there for you and your family. He's the only person you have actually let yourself depend on since your dad left, even Raph can see it. But what kind of friend have you been to him?' She couldn't get the thoughts out of her head as she gave Matthew a kiss goodnight and placed him in the portable crib.

She laid down on the bed next to the crib contemplating over what to do next. There were hundreds of things that she knew about her partner personally. Is it possible that she has been so self-absorbed that she just missed any information dropped over the years about Mann Family? No. Well, yes she could be very self-absorbed, but that's not it this time. She knew his parents' names, the town they lived in, and where they live now. She knew his dad was a Marshal, but has always had a hard time trying to decipher Marshall's feelings in regard to that matter. It was simply because he never talked about it or anything else regarding his family except the facts. She had just accepted that he was a private person, even respected him for it, and never pried.

As the thoughts continued to fill her head, her eyelids grew heavy. She had been operating on an adrenaline rush all day that had pushed her sleep deprived body beyond it's limits and now her brain was muddled as well. She just wanted to close her eyes and shut down for a minute. 'Just for a minute…' was her last conscious thought.

Marshall had been busy in the kitchen and was surprised when he looked at his watch to see that 30 minutes had passed. He thought it odd that Mary hadn't appeared yet considering she had showered earlier, but he continued to toil away. Finally, he put the baking dish in the oven, washed his hands and headed toward the bedroom. The door was cracked, but he couldn't see anything in the dark of the room. Knowing that Matty was sleeping, he knocked softly before pushing the door open further. "Mare?" he whispered. As the light from the outer room filled the space from the open door, he saw her on the bed. She was curled up on her side in almost a fetal position and she was sleeping. He grabbed the extra blanket from the closet and gently placed it over her. "Goodnight Mary," he whispered before leaving the room.

***

Mary woke up confused. She was groggy, but knew instantly she was not at home. It didn't even take a second for it all to come flooding back to her. 'Dinner!' she screamed inside of her head and she jumped out of bed. The clock on the night table read 1:00am. 'Damn it Mary,' she cursed herself as she headed into the other room. Almost tripping on the boxes piled next to the door caused a string of obscenities to make their way through her mind. She let her eyes adjust to the dark before making her way across the room. The light over the stove was lit and she saw the neatly wrapped plate sitting on the counter with a note.

_A little midnight snack for my Sleeping Beauty. Enjoy!_

She smiled despite feeling horrible for falling asleep after he'd put so much effort into cooking. The lovingly prepared plate in her hand was enough to tell her that it had not been just "thrown together". She was determined to make it up to him, she just didn't know how yet. Her stomach growled and she realized just how hungry she was when she heard a sound from the bedroom. "Oh Giggles, you couldn't have waited five minutes," she whispered as she placed the plate back on the counter. She knew the least she could do was let Marshall sleep and she headed back to get Matthew.

"Well, at least you don't seem to be screaming quite so loud anymore. Or maybe I'm just getting used to it,' she said as she picked him up. "Shh, it's okay. Why don't you just lay down here with me for a minute until you calm down." She placed him gently on the bed and then snuggled in next to him with her arm protectively around him. And that is exactly how Marshall found them the next morning.

***

**If you don't hear from me tomorrow, it means I probably won't post again until over the weekend. Are we still headed in the right direction or are you bored?**


	12. While My Partner Gently Weeps

Ch. 12:While My Partner Gently Weeps

A/N: A special thanks to Grammar Maven, your comments made me stop and think (something I either do too much or not enough of depending on the situation). There were ideas I had for the story, but I hadn't figured out how to get them out there. I hope I'm on track now.

The movement next to her caused Mary to wake earlier than usual. "Morning Giggles," she said sleepily. "Are you hungry? I'm starved because somehow I seemed to have missed out on dinner twice last night."

She crawled out of bed, picked up the baby and headed toward the kitchen. "Yes!" she said seeing her plate still sitting on the counter. "And look at that, coffee and your high chair waiting for us. Marshall is my hero, but that stays between us kid. Where is that knucklehead anyway?" she said putting Matthew in his high chair and going to look for him. His bedroom door was open, but there was no sign of him. As she made her way back to the kitchen, she saw his car keys on the table by the door.

"Well," she said turning her attention back to Matthew, "he couldn't have gone far. If I had to guess, he went for a run." The baby was watching her and starting babbling in response. "Look, you don't have to tell me he's crazy. You'd have to be to do that to yourself this early in the morning."

Mary got him a bottle and then heated up the still untouched dinner turned breakfast. The microwave dinged and her stomach growled as she grabbed a fork and sat down at the table. She wasn't exactly sure what was on the plate, but it smelled wonderful and she took a big bite. Before she even had a chance to swallow, she heard the sound of the front door. She figured it was Marshall, but over the years her job had taught her that you could never know for sure. Standing up in front of Matthew she called out, "Is that you Forrest?"

"Did you know that there are over 200 million acres in the national forest system?" echoed the rhetorical question from the entryway.

Mary rolled her eyes and sat back down to finish eating.

"Nice breakfast," Marshall said coming into the kitchen not letting on how happy he was to see her eating the food he had prepared last night.

"As a matter of fact, it is an amazing breakfast. And I'm sure it would have been an even better dinner," she said apologetically. "Thanks. It really is good. What is it?"

"You're welcome," he said smiling, "but it's a Mann Family secret recipe and my lips are sealed. Now I'm going to shower before Eleanor gets here."

"Fine. I'm too hungry and you're too smelly to argue about it now, but I don't want any grief when I call to place my orders." Then she shouted after him, "And I expect free delivery too."

Marshall laughed as he closed the door behind him. Then he leaned his forehead against the cold tile wall of the bathroom and thought to himself, 'Mann, you're in so deep you're never going to dig your way out.' He'd known for some time now that his feelings toward his partner went beyond their partnership and friendship, but it was only in these last few days that he was realizing just how deep those feeling ran. 'You need to get a hold of yourself. She'll kill you, several times. But more importantly, you'll lose her forever.' With that, he started the water in the shower and resolved himself to doing whatever was necessary to keep their partnership in tact.

***

Eleanor arrived just after breakfast and agreed to keep an eye on Matty while she sorted through everything that had been left at the apartment. They had started to protest, but when Eleanor insisted they gave in knowing that she probably missed the baby and hoping they would be able to use the day to catch up on other things.

Mary was waiting for Marshall when his cell phone, that was sitting on the kitchen table, started to ring. "Hey, Doofus!" she shouted, "You got a call. Want me to get it?"

"No. I'm right here," he said hurrying into the room.

"Okay, just trying to help," she said defensively as she picked up the phone and handed it to him, but not before looking at the screen to see who was calling.

"Marshall," he said answering the call. "Hi. Could you just hang one minute. Thanks." He turned to Mary and Eleanor and said, "So we're good here?"

Both women nodded in response and he looked at Mary. "Okay, so I'll just meet you back here later. Call if you need anything." And with that, he grabbed his car keys and left the apartment with Mary staring after him.

"Oh," said Eleanor, "I assumed you two would be doing whatever it is you two do together."

"So did I," Mary said staring blankly at the closed apartment door.

Eleanor made a small "o" with her lips and quickly turned away. She busied herself with the task at hand and hoped to avoid having to deal with Mary and one of her tantrums. What happened next was something Eleanor would have never expected in a million years.

"Do you know how to make pie?" Mary asked seriously.

"Pie?" Eleanor repeated not believing that she could have heard correctly.

"Yes pie. You know apple, cherry, pumpkin. Pie."

"Yes I know how to make pie. Why do you ask?"

"I can't believe I'm doing this, but I need a favor."

"Mary, you do realize what you are asking right?" Eleanor questioned. "A favor, from me."

"Would it help if I say please?" Mary tried to say as calmly as possible, "and also told you that's it's really for Marshall?"

"Well saying please never hurts and if it's for Marshall. What exactly is it you need?"

"Let's talk about it while we get this place back to looking more like it did when we got here."

***

Once outside the apartment, Marshall got back on the phone. "Hi Mom. How are you?"

"I'm okay sweetie. Your dad told me you called back. He probably wouldn't be too happy if he knew I was bothering you while your working."

"It's fine Mom. You can always call me. I want you to call me. I'm not Dad. Let me be the one to determine whether or not I have time to talk."

"I know Marshall and I would never compare you with your father. You know that. I just wish you wouldn't either."

Marshall took in her words, but didn't respond. Instead he changed the subject as usual. "You said on the message that you were worried about Dad. Did something happen?"

"No. Not that I'm aware of anyway."

"Well you know how he gets this time of year. He still refuses to come with you?"

"We don't even talk about it anymore."

"Maybe you should."

"I know sweetie, I know. But you know what I think he would really like…"

"Don't say it, Mom," he interrupted.

"But you didn't make it up here at all this year. He misses you. I know he doesn't say it, but he does. Will you please think about it? You could bring your partner with you. He's never met her and I hardly think the one brief introduction we shared counts either."

"So you want me come visit and bring Mary," Marshall said as if couldn't quite comprehend what his mother was saying to him.

"Just promise me you'll think about it."

"Okay, I'll think about it," he said stressing the word think. "And you promise me you'll call whenever you want."

"Yes, I promise."

"And Mom, just keep an eye on Dad. Okay?"

"Okay. Now go back to work and I'll talk to soon. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye," Marshall said as he disconnected the call.

He just sat in his truck outside the building trying to process what his mother had asked of him. No sooner had he sworn to put his feelings aside to protect their partnership and she was asking him to bring Mary with him for a visit. 'My parents and Mary, together, at my parents' house.' As hard as he tried it was not an image he could conjure up. He finally turned the key in the ignition and put the truck in gear. 'Well, right now we have this assignment with Matthew, so I guess there's no point in worrying about it just yet,' he thought to himself until he remembered that his mother would be in New Mexico next month and he would be forced to talk about it again. "I guess I'll just have to try and keep her out of Albuquerque this trip," he said pulling out of the parking lot and toward the office.

***

Mary and Eleanor had spent the entire day bickering and slinging insults, while managing to get everything they needed to do done in record time. Eleanor was impressed with how well Mary was dealing with Matty and how they seemed to have bonded, while Mary couldn't believe how patient Eleanor was with her despite stating the opposite many times. By 4pm, they were finished. Eleanor left to go to the office with instructions from Mary to send any paperwork that had piled up back with Marshall. She wasn't sure what her partner had been up to today, but she know he would end up at the office eventually.

***

Marshall walked into the apartment several hours later with a stack of papers in hand. His senses assessed the situation and he walked back toward the front door. He opened it and checked the number. Convinced he was in the right place, he made his way back in and locked the door behind him. "Mare? You here?"

"I'll be right out!" she shouted from the other room.

Marshall proceeded to put all the paperwork on the coffee table and couldn't believe it was the same place he left earlier that day. There were random baby items scattered throughout the room, but everything else had been cleared out. A person could actually use the furniture again and walk around freely without fear of breaking a toe. "Wow, Eleanor really worked hard today."

"What did you say?" Mary said as she walked into the living area.

"I said that Elean…" he started to repeat himself until he looked up and saw his partner coming toward him, causing him to suddenly lose all ability to speak. She was wearing a nicely worn pair of jeans that were riding low on her hips, a blue v-neck sweater that accented her curves without being too tight, and she was barefoot. To him, she was absolutely beautiful. He was used to Mary in her slacks and button-down shirts, her black and white everyday work wardrobe. Even the time they spent together outside the office was usually before or after work, so that is always how he saw her. His mind started to wander, 'there was that one time, when she went Trina's bachelorette party.' He shook his head trying to regain control of himself. 'No, that wasn't the real Mary. He had been more shocked by her appearance that night than anything else. And then there was that kiss. Jesus, Marshall get a hold of yourself already.'

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mary asked as she watched his face redden.

"Me, ah no. Nothing. I'm fine," he said starting to remove his jacket. "Just a little warm in here."

"Okay," she said slightly confused as she watched him discard his jacket. "I hope you're hungry."

"I was wondering what that smell was. Did you cook?" Marshall asked not knowing whether to be surprised or concerned as he followed her toward the kitchen. 'It does smell good in here,' he thought to himself as he turned the corner and saw a pie sitting on the counter. "You made pie! Did I just walk into an alternate universe?" he asked starting to feel like he was in the middle of a Twilight Zone episode.

"Ha ha. Very funny doofus. Yes I made pie," Mary said proudly. "Well, Eleanor helped. Okay, so I helped Eleanor," she admitted sounding more and more self-conscious. "Whatever. There's chicken too."

"Mary Shannon, did you do all this for me?" Marshall said teasingly not knowing how to react and hoping to get the conversation back to their usual banter.

"Keep it up and I'm going to let you watch while I eat it all myself."

Marshall simply raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, you cooked last night. I figured it was my turn, right? Only fair," Mary said as if she was confessing to him across the interrogation table as he continued to stare at her.

"Since when do you play fair?"

"Shut up and let's eat."

"Um, where's Matty?"

"Giggles is already down for the count. We had a busy day," Mary informed him.

"Well then, let's eat."

Over dinner, Mary filled Marshall in on their day with Eleanor. He still couldn't believe all the effort she went through for him and he was genuinely touched. There was something different about her. He had noticed small changes in her these last few days and had attributed it to being around Matty, but now he wasn't so sure.

"You are really good with Matty. I don't know why you were so worried," Marshall said changing topics.

"Me? You're the one who's the natural here, at least according to Eleanor."

"What?"

"Don't deny it because I saw it with my own eyes Mr. Mom. So are you going to spill or do we have to do this the hard way?"

Marshall shifted uncomfortably in his seat and didn't answer.

"So I guess it's the hard way then," Mary said as she searched for exactly how to begin this conversation. All the effort she put in today was for this reason. She wanted to be there for Marshall just like he was always there for her, to be a better friend. In order to do that, she needed him to open up to her. She knew he trusted her with his life, but she didn't understand why her otherwise chatty partner wouldn't talk to her about his life. "Well, you obviously have more than just book knowledge when it comes to taking care of a baby. Either I have to search the country for any illegitimate Manns that you left behind or you can tell me about it."

"Mare, I really don't…"

"No. You don't get to do that," she said feeling hurt and angry that he wouldn't confide in her. "You put up with my crap, and all my family drama. Why won't you let me do the same for you? Isn't that what friends are supposed to do."

"I guess, it's just"

"Just what?" she snapped.

"Well, you never seemed interested," he said getting up from the table. "You never asked."

She stood up and followed him into the living room knowing that he was right. "I know I'm a crappy friend and I honestly don't know why you put up with me, but I'm asking now. Please?"

"Did you just say please? What the hell happened to you today and where is Mary Shannon?"

"Cute, but don't think your going to change the subject. Now if you want pie, you better sit your ass down and talk to me already."

"Fine," he said throwing his hands up in defeat and sinking into the sofa. "The reason I know how to take care of a baby is because I'm the one that helped take care of Mikey after he was born." He saw the confusion on her face and added, "my brother."

Mary didn't say a word. She just sat down next to him and waited for him to continue.

"I was 10 when he was born," Marshall said smiling as he remembered, but Mary could see the sadness in his eyes. "He was so tiny and I was scared I'd break him, but my mom didn't want me to feel left out so she showed me how to take care of him. Which was good because with my dad being gone a lot, I was able to help her." He paused briefly and laughed as he continued, "I was so proud of him. Once he got a little bigger, I used to walk him around the neighborhood in the stroller instead of hanging out at the park with the other kids or I'd sit in his room and read to him. Once he could walk, he followed me everywhere. Everyone used to call us the M&M boys," he said as he looked to Mary for reassurance that she was still listening and she smiled at him encouragingly.

"Things were great for the first few years and then I remember thinking that something was wrong because my mom didn't want me taking him out anymore and it seemed like he was always at the doctor. I remember going to check on Mikey late one night when I couldn't sleep and my mom was sitting in his room crying. When I think back now, I knew long before they decided to tell me that he was sick."

Mary could see the tears in his eyes that were threatening to spill over, so she reached over and put her hand on his shoulder. She didn't know what she had been expecting Marshall to tell her, but this definitely wasn't something that had crossed her mind and she understood why he never talked about it. She couldn't imagine what life would have been like if something had happened to Brandi. This was an opportunity for her to show Marshall that she could be there for him, and to prove to herself that she wasn't as selfish as her mother always made her feel. So she didn't interrupt or ask any questions, she would let him tell her in his own time.

"Now that I think about it," he continued, "that was really when my dad started to be away for longer periods of time. My mom said he was promoted, but I'm not convinced he wasn't looking for a way not to deal with Mikey's illness. For the next 6 years, it was back and forth. He'd have a long stretch where he would seem like any other boy his age and just when we would start believing he wouldn't get sick again, he'd relapse. My mom stopped trying to send him to school because it was impossible to know if he would be able to finish out the year, so we taught him at home and he was a smart kid too. He always wanted to know more. I would spend every day after school with him reading from the encyclopedia. As he got a little older, he always wanted me to teach him whatever I was learning in science at the time because he said he was going to be a doctor someday." At this point the tears started to streak down his cheeks, but he didn't stop, "He knew he was sick and that the doctors didn't expect him to live, but he talked about the future anyway. I just don't know if it was for our benefit or his." He sat up with his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands.

Mary could see the change in his breathing as the sobs overtook him. She knew that there was more for her to know, but that now wasn't the time. Moving off the sofa, she knelt in front of him and placed her hand gently under his chin. Slowly, she lifted it forcing him to look at her and without saying a word, she told him that she was there and that he could trust her with this as he did his life. Then she surprised both of them by placing a kiss on his forehead before sitting back down next to him and holding him while he cried.

***

**Please review and let me know if you like where it's headed. I hope Mary's evolution is this story seems natural enough and is not making her too OOC.** **Thanks for reading.**


	13. Inside Out and Upside Down

**Ch. 13: Upside Down and Inside Out**

**I hope everyone is still with me. I really hope I've been able to give them a nudge here without it getting too OOC. This chapter is setting the groundwork for our trio's next adventure. Don't forget to let me know what you think!**

Marshall felt more peaceful than he had in a long time until the reality of the situation crept into his consciousness. 'Oh God no!' he screamed inside his head. He had no idea how much time had passed since he broke down in her arms, but he was suddenly very aware of his surroundings. His head was in her lap and she had one hand in his hair. Her other hand was woven in his own and its arm pulled tight around him. While a part of him had longed to be this close to her and would willingly stay wrapped in her arms as long as possible, all the alarms were going off in his head. He needed to move and now.

Mary had spent the last hour processing this new information about her partner. She couldn't blame him for falling apart after keeping it all bottled up inside for so long. That much, she could relate to. What was bothering her the most was that she always considered herself a good judge of character. It was what made her so good at her job. But then she realized it was not that she had misjudged who Marshall Mann was, she had only failed to see the pain he was carrying around inside. Again, something that made them both good at their job was their ability to put aside who they really were and become Inspectors Shepard and Miller, the caring U.S. Marshals that would do anything to protect their witnesses. And obviously, her partner was much better at maintaining that exterior than she realized.

She was pulled from her thoughts when she felt his body tense. It had been awhile since his breathing steadied and she had assumed he was asleep, but the tension now emanating from him told her otherwise. "Marshall?" she said softly.

He had not wanted to wake her if she was sleeping, but the sound of her voice gave him the opportunity he needed to move. He jumped up, surprising her. "Whoa!" she responded to his sudden movement.

"Um, sorry. I just…need to use the bathroom,' he said not very convincingly and quickly moved toward the door.

"Wait, Marshall…" But he didn't stop and then disappeared behind the door. "What the hell was that?" she asked herself as she got up from the sofa and went to check on the baby. After seeing he was still sleeping soundly, she remembered about the pie and headed back toward the kitchen. "I think pie is just what the doctor ordered," she said as she grabbed two plates and forks. She was just heating up the slices in the microwave when she heard the bathroom door and she yelled, "Hey Doofus, you want ice cream with your pie?" But the only response was the sound of another door closing.

"Are you freakin kidding me? Did he really just ignore me? And while I'm holding pie?" Mary was not happy. "If this is how person is rewarded for trying to be a good friend, I'd rather go back to being a bitch." But she stopped herself from charging into his room and telling him exactly that because she suddenly realized what was happening. "I'm in bizarro world!"

In her attempt to try and be a better friend, she had unintentionally turned everything upside down and inside out. She was supposed to be the one with the family drama that avoided dealing with her emotions and Marshall was the one that calmly dealt with her roller coaster of emotions, kept her grounded and gave her a good kick in the ass when needed. "Well, what a clusterfuck this turned out to be," Mary said to herself as she tried to figure out what to do next.

She sat down at the kitchen table, took a bite of pie and thought to herself, 'Okay, I'm Marshall. So I need to think like Marshall.' With the next bite she said, "I got nothing." She sat a few minutes longer thinking about it. 'Damn it Mary. You can do this. You have to fix this because it is obvious that however screwed up you two are, you have become too damn codependent on each other to go back now.'

Marshall heard her call out to him, but he had to get out of there. He quickly closed the bathroom door behind him and locked it. "Jesus Christ! What the fuck am I doing?" he said to the wall, "and more importantly, I have to stop ending up in the bathroom talking to myself." Leaning his back against the wall, he squatted into a sitting position. He had never talked about Mikey with anyone outside his immediate family or those that knew Mikey personally, which was only a handful of people. And for at least the last ten years, it was something that stayed between him and his mom. His dad hadn't even mentioned Mikey by name since the last time he relapsed and they were told he wouldn't make it. Marshall knew his dad had spent many hours by Mikey's bedside when he thought no one was home, but he never once talked about it. His dad had surprised him by attending the funeral, but Marshall has never been able to forget that he stared blankly the entire time without any trace of emotion on his face and never shedding a single tear. Then immediately following the service, he left claiming he had to leave on an assignment. While he was gone, Marshall stopped commuting to school. He moved onto the UNM campus and never set foot back in his childhood home. He spent a lot of time with his mom, but never at the house. Less than a year later, his mom told him that they had sold the house and were retiring to Colorado. The longer he sat there, the more memories came flooding back to him and he started to feel like the bathroom walls were closing in on him.

Pulling himself up off the floor, he opened the door. He was relieved not to come face to face with Mary because he didn't think he was ready to deal with what had happened tonight. Despite hearing her call out to him from the kitchen, he quickly headed into the bedroom and shut the door. He collapsed on the bed and tried to find something to focus on to stop the onslaught of memories threatening to take over his mind.

'Alchemy is a philosophy and a practice with an aim of achieving ultimate wisdom as well as immortality.

Botao-de-ouro aka Galinsoga quadriradiata is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family, which is known by several common names, including shaggy soldier, hairy galinsoga, and fringed quickweed.

The Cabot Strait is a strait in eastern Canada approximately 110 kilometers wide between Cape Ray, Newfoundland and Cape North, Cape Breton Island, it is the widest of the three outlets for the Gulf of Saint Lawrence into the Atlantic Ocean, the others being the Strait of Belle Isle and Strait of Canso. It is named for the Genovese explorer Giovanni Caboto.'

It was a practice he had started during the vigils at his brother's bedside. When his brother was doing well, they would randomly pick sections from the encyclopedia and he would read them aloud. During the worse times, Marshall would alphabetically pick random terms and recite the meanings in his head. It helped clear his head and kept him from dwelling on his bother's illness. The habit had stayed with him all these years and he turned to it whenever he felt himself losing control. He was on G when he finally started feeling better. He actually smiled to himself at the thought of what his partner would say if she knew he's secret to staying calm. When he reached P, he heard the door and looked up to see her standing there.

"Well, at least you didn't knock," Marshall said as she walked toward the bed. When she stopped and glared at him he continued, "I guess I can call off the exorcism."

"Real funny asshole," Mary said looking around for something to throw. Not finding anything, she moved a few steps closer and grabbed his ankles. She pulled him so that he was hanging half off the bed and said, "Now get your sorry ass up and come eat your pie."

He rolled off the bed and followed after her. "Hey, what kind of pie is it anyway?"

"Peach."

"Peach really?" he said laughing as he remembered he was on the letter P. "Did you know that the peach originated in…"

"One more word and you'll have peaches in places you didn't think possible."

"That's my girl," he said smiling as he pushed her out of the way and made for the pie.

***

After bickering over pie and ice cream, they both felt a little more like themselves and moved to the living room to watch TV. Marshall put on the History Channel and Mary immediately grabbed the remote from his hands and started channel surfing. She had gone through all the channels twice when Marshall finally grabbed the remote back and put on the History Channel again. He then proceeded to get up and put the remote at the furthest most point from the sofa.

"Ah, c'mon. Why do you always get to pick?" Mary whined.

"It's not like I didn't have to suffer through your changing the channels a million times first," he complained back to her. "Besides, the remote is right over there if you really want to watch something else."

Mary just scowled at him, put her feet across his lap and said, "No. There's nothing else on anyway."

"I didn't think so," he said trying not to laugh.

They were quiet for awhile. Marshall concentrating on what was being discussed on TV and Mary lost in her own thoughts. He slowly became aware of her eyes on him and looked over to meet her gaze. He smiled at her reassuringly for a moment before turning his attention back to the TV.

"I'm sorry Marshall," she said quietly as she placed her hand on his forearm. "I didn't know."

"Thanks," he said taking her hand in his, but not looking at her. "And how could you know. It's okay, I'm fine."

"No, it's not okay and you're obviously not fine," she said slightly irritated. "I just…I just want you to know that I'm here for you. That you can talk to me. Christ Marshall, you are my best friend and I didn't even know about what was probably one of the most defining events in your life. Yet you seem to be constantly bombarded with the living disaster area that is my life and family."

"It's okay Mare. That's just how we roll," he said trying to be cute and realizing he failed miserably by the look on Mary's face. "I'm sorry. It's just we work, don't we? Our partnership, I mean."

"Yes."

"Well then maybe we should just accept that it works for us and not examine it too closely."

"But if there was a chance to make it better, stronger…what then? I never took you for someone who would be satisfied being anything less than the best he could be," she said challenging him.

"Well maybe there are certain things that are just too important to risk?" he responded looking directly into her eyes with all his heart and soul sending a chill up her spine.

"And just maybe what you might find is worth whatever risk you need to take to get there," she argued never breaking eye contact and sitting up so that there faces were merely inches apart.

The tension between them was something that neither had ever experienced before and seemed to be taking on a life of its own when the sound of Mary's cell phone filled the room. Without thinking or looking at it, she grabbed it and answered.

"Mary," she said and after a brief silence she continued, "What do you want Raph?"

Marshall was trying to steady himself from whatever it was that had been happening between them when he heard who was on the other end of the phone. He shook his head and stood up.

"Where are you going?" she asked Marshall, but got no response. "Marshall!"

"It's getting late," he said, "I'm going to turn in."

"Wait," she said to Marshall and then looked confused to the phone, "What? No Raph as a matter of fact this is not a good time. Don't call me again." She ended the call and tossed the phone on sofa.

"Marshall, please," she said grabbing his arm and turning him to look at her. "Please let's just not do this, this awkwardness. Not tonight."

"I just don't know what you want anymore, Mary," he responded sounding more tired than she had heard him sound in a long time.

"Neither do I," she admitted. "And maybe that's okay for now. But what I would like, at least just for tonight, is for you to be the one to lean on me for a change."

"You know what Mare?" he said bending down and kissing her cheek, "I think I'd like that too."

Taking his hand, she led him back over to the sofa. She laid down on her back with her head up against the armrest and motioned for him to follow. He hesitated for just a second feeling as if the whole situation was very surreal, then he lay down next to her burying his head in her shoulder.

"Raph broke up with me the other day," she whispered and then kissed the top of his head. "Goodnight Marshall."

"I never liked that guy," he whispered back not able to keep from smiling. "Night Mare."


	14. It's a Sunshine Day

**Ch. 14: It's a Sunshine Day**

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating. I know exactly where I'm taking this story, but this is a transitional chapter and I had a harder time with it than I thought. I hope you enjoy and remember to R&R. Thanks!**

Mary woke extremely agitated to a tugging at her hair. "What the fu…" she started to say as she sat up on the sofa and realized that Matthew was grabbing at her trying to pull himself up from behind her. "Giggles? What are you doing?"

"Morning sleepy head," Marshall said as he walked into the room holding two cups of coffee.

"Thanks," she said moving the baby off of her before grabbing the cup Marshall was holding out to her. She wrapped both hands around it and inhaled the wonderful aroma. As she took a sip, she locked eyes with her partner silently asking if he was okay and satisfied with what she saw said, "So, what's the game plan for today?"

"Well, we need to check in with Stan, but I haven't really thought beyond that."

"I think we all need to get some fresh air. I know I'm starting to feel a little stir crazy and I'm sure the kid must be by now."

"We need to make sure it's safe first," Marshall said as Mary rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm all for getting out today, but as of yesterday there was still no word on Harrison's whereabouts."

"Okay, new plan," Mary said standing up, "I'm going to go get ready while you pack up whatever we need for the kid, then we'll all go to the office and decide what to do from there. That way, at the least we'll get a change of scenery for a little while."

"You want to bring Matty to the office?"

"Why the hell not? It's safe. Besides, Stan and Eleanor would love it."

Marshall just looked at her knowing full well that she wasn't thinking about Stan and Eleanor in any other capacity than babysitters. But she did have a point; it would do them all good to get out. "Well, clock's ticking," he said looking at watch.

Mary was showered and ready before Marshall was able to gather everything they needed for Matty. "Jesus Marshall, he's one little baby how much stuff could he need," she said grabbing the back away from him. "Just go get the car seat ready and we'll meet you downstairs."

"Are you sure you know what we're going to need?" he asked concerned. He knew Mary was doing well with Matty, but he wasn't sure if she had any idea how to pack a diaper bag for a day away from home.

"Relax doofus, I got it covered."

"Okay," Marshall said unconvinced, "I'll see you outside in five."

When Mary arrived at the truck, baby and diaper bag in tow, Marshall was sitting in the backseat cursing. "What's the matter with you?" she asked.

"Could they make these damn things anymore complicated?" he said frustrated as he reconnected the straps. "I guess that should do it. Now we just have to get him in it."

Mary laughed at the sight of Marshall so worked up over something like a car seat, but the truth was that she found it rather cute. "Here," she said throwing the bag at him, "I'll do it."

About a half an hour later, the three of them got off the elevator on the top floor of the Sunshine Building. They hadn't even swiped the key card and Eleanor was at the door. "What are you doing here? Is everything okay? Why didn't you call?"

"Relax Eleanor," Mary said placing the baby in her arms, "he's fine. We just thought we'd get out for a little while."

"Well hello there Matty," Eleanor said cheerfully as she hugged the baby, "How's my big man today?"

"Marshall, Mary," Stan said as he walked out of his office surprised to see his Inspectors, "We didn't expect to see you today. Is everything okay?"

"Fine Chief, we figured we'd just check-in in person," Marshall replied and then added nodding toward Eleanor. "We're not interrupting anything are we?"

Stan just rolled his eyes. Then said, "Since you two are here, why don't you get some work done," before heading into his office and shutting the door.

"Why don't you check in with Bobby D. while I contact Seattle about Harrison," Marshall said to Mary turning on his computer.

"I'm on it," Mary said happily eliciting an odd look from Marshall causing her to snap at him. "What?"

"Nothing," he said chuckling, "it's just you're usually not so excited about this part of the job."

"Well I've been out of the game for a couple days and since it doesn't look like I'll get to shoot anything today, I'll have to settle for at least being productive. Besides, don't you want to get this all cleared up so we don't have to keep the kid on house arrest anymore?"

"Yeah, that would be nice. But wait, does that mean no more pies Betty Crocker?"

"On second thought, maybe I will get to shoot someone today," she said glaring back as she dialed her cell phone. "Hey Dershowitz, how's it hanging?"

"Well if it isn't Albuquerque's own little piece of sunshine Mary Shannon," Dershowitz responded. "Is this official business or have you just missed me?"

"Aw, you know I always miss you. Just about as much as I miss that hang nail I had last week."

"So sweet. I still can't believe that you are single."

"You know, just waiting around for you. Look, I was just calling to follow up on the investigation into your friend Snake's murder. Got anything for me?"

"As a matter a fact, we picked up the girlfriend this morning. It turns out our boy was dealing more than just drugs. And when his girlfriend refused to turn tricks for him, he cut off her drug supply."

"Wow, this Snake was a real genius huh? Bad enough he was stupid enough to try and pimp her, but then to try and squeeze by taking her drugs. Sounds to me he got what he deserved.'

"Pretty much. It's a shame, she's a young kid too."

"So nothing to suggest his death had anything to do with his business then?"

"Nope. Most likely she'll take a deal and we'll have it all wrapped up nice and neat by the end of the day."

"Okay, thanks. See ya around Dershowitz."

"See ya Mary."

She hung up the phone and saw that Marshall was still in the middle of a call, so she got up to grab another cup of coffee while she waited for him to finish.

"Hey Mary, where's Matty's teething ring?" Eleanor said coming out of the conference where she had been playing with the baby.

"How the hell should I know," she said defensively.

"Well did you pack it?"

"No. Are you telling me he can't live without it for a few hours?"

"That's not the point Mary. He is really chewing on his hand and I think it would make him feel better," Eleanor lectured.

"What's going on?" Marshall said walking over.

"Mary didn't bring Matty's teething ring."

"You forgot it?" he questioned turning to Mary who just gave him her _you have got to be fucking kidding me look_. "Well did you at least bring Mr. Monkey?" Marshall said very seriously.

"Are you people listening to yourselves?" Mary yelled. "Teething rings and Mr. Monkey? Seriously? And you think I'm the one with the problem." She grabbed the small plastic cup from the table by the coffee machine and walked over to where Eleanor was holding the baby. "Here kid, chew on this," she said handing him the cup. The baby laughed and grabbed it from her putting it right into his mouth. "Wow," Mary said sarcastically looking back and forth between Marshall and Eleanor, "problem solved."

She headed back toward her desk mumbling to herself, "Jesus Christ like a plastic ring and a stuffed toy are the end of the freakin world." Placing her coffee on the desk she looked back at Marshall and said, "Well are you coming doofus? Because last I checked we still had work to do."

"Yes dear," he responded sarcastically while getting a sympathetic look from Eleanor.

He sat down at her desk as she explained what she learned from Dershowitz. After they both agreed that Snake's death didn't have any connection to Harrison, she asked him what the latest was from Seattle. He gave her a brief update and then they decided it would be best to meet with Stan before making any decisions.

After asking Eleanor to make a few inquiries of her own regarding Harrison, Mary took Matthew into the conference room and set him up in the car seat carrier on the table.

"Are you sure that's safe? He's not going to fall is he?" Marshall asked as he followed them into the room.

"You are such a damn worry wart. It's a good thing you have me around kid or you'd never have any fun."

"Okay Inspectors," Stan said entering the room, "what have you for me? Oh, are you sure you want the baby in here while we do this?"

"It's not like he has any idea what we're talking about Stan," Mary said exasperated. "Can we stop obsessing over the baby for just five minutes and focus."

"Yeah, Yeah. So you talked Bobby D., what's the official word on that dealer's death?"

Mary quickly relayed to Stan the information she got from Dershowitz and he agreed with their assessment that there was no reason to think that it had anything to do with Harrison or that he would be in Albuquerque. Next, Marshall briefed them on what he had been able to find out from Seattle.

"I don't want to be anywhere near the Pacific Northwest these days because heads are going to roll over this one. It seems that they still have not been able to establish how they lost Harrison, but it's three days now that he's in the wind. They know that his small private plane is gone, but they don't believe he's left the country. None of the usual suspects south of the border have reported any activity. Just to be safe, they have moved Matthew's mother, Emily, to a new location. As far as Matthew is concerned, the FBI field offices in New Mexico have really put the squeeze on any and all possible players and connections to Harrison and have come up empty. His operations down here are on a smaller scale and he has never personally been involved. They have no reason to think that would change now."

"Okay, so what do you think should be our next move?" Stan inquired of his Inspectors.

"We have Eleanor making a few calls," Mary responded, "but I don't see any reason to jump the gun on this one. We'll stay where we are for now with an extra detail on the building, but I don't think there's any reason we can't have him out every once in awhile."

"Marshall, you have any thoughts on this?"

"She's got a point Stan. There's no reason to draw more attention to the situation than necessary. Until we know there is a real risk, we sit tight. As far as getting out, he does need some sun now and then, but we have to be careful. What if we run into other witnesses?"

"I don't think we need to worry about that. Our witnesses know we do and not to ask any questions. And for anyone else that may inquire, he's the son of a coworker. End of story."

"It may not be that simple," Marshall said to her.

"And why the hell not? It's no one's damn business in the first place," she replied annoyed.

"I'm sure we'll figure something out if the situation come up," Marshall said rolling his eyes. He knew how his partner was and there was no point in having this argument. Besides, he knew if worse came to worse, one look from Mary would stop anyone from asking too many questions.

She stood up, grabbed the baby and headed out of the conference.

"Okay then," Stan said looking after her, "I guess we're done."

***

After saying their good-byes and gathering all their things, they headed out. As she sat in the passenger seat of the SUV, Mary's thought's started to wander. She began thinking more and more about what had happened the night before with Marshall. Ever since Raph broke up with her, she had felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Raph was a great guy and she cared about him, but there had been a growing tension between them. He had begun to want more from their relationship than Mary was ready to give and he didn't seem willing to accept that. And it was obvious from their last fight, that he didn't trust her and that was what probably hurt the most. She had never done anything to give him a reason to doubt her, yet he did. 'Face it Mary,' she said to herself, 'you are not exactly the most open person in the world and obviously have your share of secrets, just not the types of secrets he was assuming. No, I'm not going to do this. It is not my fault it didn't work out. It's done and it's for the best.'

"So where to?" Marshall asked pulling her from her thoughts.

"Honestly, I'd love to go home and take a swim. It's such a nice day and I have a pool I never use."

"You're kidding right?"

"No. Why do you say it like that?"

"Have you lost your mind and forgotten about your mother and sister? What is it you were planning on telling them about Matty?"

"Party pooper. It was what I said I would like to do, I never said we were going to do it," Mary said pouting.

"First things first. Let's stop by the apartment so we can pick up the things yo…" Marshall starting saying but changed his mind mid-sentence under Mary's gaze, "we forgot for Matty and then we can head out to that big park outside of town."

"Fine," she said as she once again looked out the window. She was confused about what it was she was feeling for her partner. Was she just sorry for everything he had gone through and for being such a lousy friend? He trusted her completely and was the one person she knew she could count on for anything. And to be honest, most of the time he was the only person she wanted to be around. She felt like she was starting to get a headache and tried to shake the thoughts from her head and focus on something else. "Maybe we should pick up some food on the way out to the park. Have a picnic."

"Now I think that is the best idea you've had all day," he replied back to her with a smile that she couldn't help but return.

They pulled into the complex and around by the unit they were staying in. "Why don't you just go get everything since you obviously know what it is we are missing. He looks like he's just about asleep anyway, so I'll just sit here with him and wait." Mary said to Marshall as he parked the car.

"Sure. Anything you need?"

"No thanks."

Mary watched him climb out of the truck and disappear into the apartment. She laughed to herself at her partner's concern over Mr. Monkey and made a mental note to buy one for him. They would all miss Matthew when it was decided what was going to happen to him and she knew Marshall would like to have something to remember him, the sentimental fool that he was. She wondered what he would say if he knew that she carried her father's first letter to her around in her pocket. The ringing of a phone interrupted her thought. She instinctively reached for her own before realizing it was a different ring and she saw Marshall's phone sitting in the console plugged into the charger. She picked it up debating what she should do when she saw the name on the screen and mischievously answered the call.

"Marshall's phone, Mary speaking."

"Oh, Mary. Hello. It's Marshall's mom, Margaret. How are you dear?"

"Hello Mrs. Mann. I'm fine and you?"

"Please call me Margaret."

"Ok."

"I guess Marshall's not there and that's why you're answering his phone."

"Yes, he just ran inside to pick something up and left his phone in the car. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Well dear, as a matter of fact maybe you can."

Mary listened carefully to everything that Mrs. Mann said and after a brief exchange said, "No, Mrs., I mean Margaret, it's no problem at all. I think it's great and I'm sure Marshall will be thrilled. So we'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yes. Just give us a call and let us know what time to expect you. This is wonderful. You're sure we're not taking you away from anything at work though?"

"No, not at all. Well there is one tiny thing," Mary said looking into the back seat at a sleeping Matthew, "you don't mind if there's a small addition to our party, do you?"

"Why heaven's no," Mrs. Mann replied happily, "the more the merrier."

"Great," Mary said as she saw Marshall emerge from the apartment. She said goodbye and placed the phone back in console.

Marshall placed yet another bag of stuff in the backseat before climbing back into the driver's seat. "So are we all set?" he asked looking at Mary. She had a devilish grin on her face that suddenly made him feel very uneasy. "Mare, what's going on?"

"Change of plans," she said smiling.


	15. The Wrong Side of Right

Ch. 15: The Wrong Side of Right

**A/N: I finally have this story going in a direction I like, but it seems I've lost most of you. For the loyal few, I will finish it. I may just end it sooner than later. Enjoy!**

"You're kidding," Marshall said processing what Mary had just said. "Tell me you're kidding Mary," he said desperately as he grabbed his cell phone and checked the call log. "This is just one of your not so funny jokes. Shit! You talked to my mom!"

"Shh, not so loud. You'll wake the baby," Mary said trying to calm him down.

While under other circumstances he may have stopped to appreciate the idea of Mary making such a statement to him, at this moment Marshall was trying to figure out when he lost absolute and total control over his life. He opened the car door and had trouble restraining himself from slamming it as he got out.

Mary took a deep breath and climbed out of the SUV. She wasn't sure what kind of reaction she had expected from Marshall, but she knew this wasn't it. "Jesus, and I thought I was the one that hated surprises," she mumbled to herself as she made her way around the car. As she approached him, she was glad he hadn't heard her comment. He was pacing furiously as he rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand and when he looked up at her she almost took a step back. 'Oh shit,' she thought as she steadied herself.

During their partnership they had easily fallen into the good cop, bad cop scenario when necessary and everyone who knew them just assumed they each played the roles most suited to their personalities. Only Mary knew that it wasn't always the case. Yes, Marshall was one of the most patient and calm people she had ever met; especially when it came to her. But she also knew that he was not someone you ever wanted to cross, which is why the way he was looking at her now was so unsettling. The last thing she ever wanted to do was to hurt Marshall, but it was looking like that is exactly what she had done.

"Marsh…" she started to say, but was cut off by him raising his hand at her to stop.

"Don't," he said in a low and dangerous tone.

Normally treating Mary this way would cause her to respond in exactly the opposite manner. She would bare her teeth and unleash her wrath on whoever was trying to control her, but not in this case. It seemed that somehow this week she kept turning the carefully maintained balance of their partnership upside down. Every attempt she had made to try and get closer to Marshall and to strengthen their partnership had gone horribly wrong. She couldn't undo what had happened, no matter how much she wished she could, so there was no choice but to deal with it. And she knew exactly how.

Mary walked back around to the other side of the truck and opened the back door. She detached the baby's car seat, put up the visor and carried him over to the sidewalk. Then she went and grabbed the two off the seat before closing the door. She flung them over her shoulder, picked up the car seat and headed toward the building. She could feel his eyes on her as she made her way up the path, but she stayed focused on the door and willed herself not to look back. Only after they were safely ensconced back in the apartment, did she let her emotions get the best of her. She left the still sleeping baby in the carrier and placed it just inside the bedroom door, then she fell into the cushions of the sofa and cried.

All of the ups and downs of the past week had finally gotten to be too much. Mary had an excellent game face and was able to make it through most days repressing her emotions or redirecting them into anger toward whoever happened to be nearby. What no one knew, not even Marshall, was how on the rare nights alone in her own bed she'd cry herself to sleep or how she would break down in tears in the shower when no one else could hear her. It's her release and her own very private way of dealing. It is what makes her able to get up, dust herself off and continue on doing the work she does without spontaneously combusting.

It wasn't long before she was feeling better, it never was. She decided to pull herself together because she had a lot to do to get this situation turned around and back on track. The first thing she did was call Stan.

***

Marshall stared after her as she walked toward the apartment. He wasn't sure exactly how he felt about her leaving him there alone, but he didn't stand around thinking about it. When he got back in the truck and left, he couldn't see past his anger to think about where he was going. As he approached the entrance ramp to the highway, the car seemed to automatically head north. He was in Santa Fe in less than an hour and at the cemetery shortly thereafter. He walked slowly across the grounds and sat on the grass facing one of the stones.

"Hey Mikey," Marshall said as he picked at the strands of grass near his feet. "So, got any advice for your big brother because I'm feeling a bit out of control down here."

***

Stan had been concerned by Mary's phone call and wondered why Marshall wasn't the one talking to him about the trip since it was his family. After convincing him that Marshall was just taking care of some last minutes details and that she would have him check in later, Stan reluctantly agreed to approve the travel. He knew that there must be an important reason for Marshall to want to see his parents while on assignment and was not concerned about Matthew's safety. Any security could be more than be handled by his Inspectors and retired Marshal Mann, but there was something bothering Stan and he just couldn't put his finger on it.

***

Matthew woke up shortly after Mary got off the phone and she was thankful for the company. They ate lunch and then she put a blanket on the floor so they could sit and play with his toys.

"I just hope this works kid," she said to him. "I'm not worried that he won't come back, Marshall would never do that to you, or me. Well, I guess I'm not so sure about the me part right now, but you're solid. He just needs some time to cool off and then he'll be ready to deal. That's assuming he's still playing my part in this whole scenario. Which means, we're the ones that sit here and wait until he's ready."

The rest of the afternoon dragged along as Mary anxiously waited for Marshall's return. As she put the baby in the bath after his supper, she began to wonder if she'd made a mistake. She was new at this whole two-way street stuff and maybe she just wasn't very good friend material after all. "I don't know Giggles, we may have to come up with something else quick because there is no way I can call Stan. Then he'll know I lied to him. I'd rather hand in my resignation than work with him not trusting me. And let's face it, there's not going to be too many people willing to hire me considering my people skills," she said sarcastically to Matthew as she washed him.

As he splashed around and laughed, Mary continued talking. "He obviously doesn't want to go to Colorado. What I just don't get is why he was so angry? I mean, he knows I read his mail and take his calls. I guess the fact that it was his mom had something to do with it, but that look he gave me was more like I killed his mom, not just talked to her on the phone. Oh God! Giggles, you don't think it's me, do you? I'm not the most subtle person in the world. Maybe he embarrassed of "how I am" as he puts it."

"Don't you ever, not for one second, think I could ever be embarrassed of who you are Mary Shannon," Marshall said poking his head out from around the opening in the bathroom door.

"Jesus Christ!" Mary said jumping at the voice and automatically reaching for her weapon until she realized who was standing there. "Didn't you ever learn not to sneak up on a woman with a gun, you numb nuts!"

"I guess I was absent that day," he said giving her his usual goofy grin and she was never so happy to see it. "Why don't you get Matty down for the night and then we can talk."

"Okay," Mary said feeling better, but still concerned about her partner. "There's leftover pie if you're hungry."

"Thanks, but how about I order us a pizza first."

"If you're buying?" she said holding his eyes for a moment not really sure what she was expecting to see there.

"Don't I always?" he said winking and then he headed to the other room.

"Did you just wink at me?!" she screamed, but all she heard in response was laughter.

***

One large pizza, four beers and a couple of slices of peach pie later they were sitting on the sofa when Mary started to feel a little sense of déjà vu. 'Here goes nothing,' she thought as she decided there was no use in putting it off any longer. "So how much longer do I have to sit here before you tell me what the hell happened today?"

"A few more minutes of quiet might be nice," he responded with a smirk.

"Yeah, you're all kinds of funny now jackass. Where was that guy earlier?" she asked kicking him with the foot she had stretched out in his direction on the sofa.

"Ouch!" Marshall said rubbing his thigh.

"Stop being such a girl and trying to avoid the conversation."

"You're right…about avoiding not the girl part," he added as he pointed his long finger in her direction. "Why don't we start with you telling me about your conversation with my mother."

"Sure just as soon as you explain why you never told me about your mother's invitation to visit."

"Jesus Mary, it was like yesterday when she mentioned it to me for the first time," he said as she gave him a look indicating that his answer was not sufficient and he should continue.

"And I don't know, I just…I didn't…"

"What? Want me around your parents," she said sounding hurt.

"How could you think that?" he said feeling just as hurt. "I mean, after everything, that you could think…'

"I didn't. It's just after how you looked at me earlier today Marshall, I didn't know what to think. I'd seen that look before, but just never expected to be on the receiving end."

"I know and I'm sorry. You just really threw me for a loop with this one and I wasn't prepared," he said looking down at his hands. "I was still a little raw from the other night and thinking a lot about Mikey. Is it just me," he said looking back up into her eyes, "or are we a little off balance lately, you and I?"

"I know and I'm sorry. That part would be my fault. I don't know if it was the breakup with Raph, but I just realized what a lousy friend I'd been to you and wanted you to open up to me. To let me be there for you for a change, yet all I seem to do is make things worse and worse."

Marshall had totally forgotten about Raph. 'Funny how quick we forget about people we don't want around,' he laughed to himself, but then got very serious and worried that all this was about Mary's breakup. He started to get angry again at the idea of her using him to get over someone else. "Is that what's going on here? You need a shoulder to cry on now that your boy toy's gone?"

"Huh? What on earth are you talking about doofus?"

"Look at me Mary."

"I am looking at you nitwit."

"No jokes. Seriously look at me," he said conveying the gravity of the situation to her with his eyes.

"Okay," she said looking at him as she tried to figure out what he was doing.

"Do you miss Raphael?"

"Marsh…"

"Answer the question Mary?"

"Yes, some part of me misses him."

"Are you going to get back together with him when he calls because you know he is going to call? Oh that's right, he already did call. Well?"

"No," Mary said with a conviction in her voice that surprised even her.

"Why not?" Marshall couldn't stop himself from asking despite how strongly she had said no and now they were in a situation very similar to the night before. They were sitting closely, their faces even closer and there was tension in the air between them.

"Because," she paused as the words 'he's not you' screamed inside her head and then she started to panic at the realization. She forced it to the back of her mind and trying to stay in control she took a deep breath and said, "because he can't make me happy and I know I'll never make him happy."

He had seen a brief change in her eyes, almost as if something had sent her into panic mode, and then it was gone. He hadn't really expected this turn in the conversation and didn't know what he thought she would say, but he believed she was telling him the truth. "We should probably get some sleep since we have such a long drive tomorrow."

"Huh?" was all Mary seemed to be able to squeak out at first. "Do you mean we're going to Colorado? Just like that?"

"Well I'd hardly say just like that, but yes. We're going."

"I haven't even told you what your mom said."

"Doesn't matter."

"What do you mean it doesn't matter?"

"Is whatever she said enough to make you believe that this trip is in my best interest and that of my family?"

"Of course. I'd never agree to anything that I thought would hurt you, you knucklehead."

"Then that's good enough for me. We should be on the road by 8am, so if you want to swing by and pick up some stuff from your place we should be in the truck by 7:15am."

"Ay, ay Captain," Mary said saluting in jest toward Marshall.

"At ease Mare," he said quietly as he placed a kiss on her cheek before meeting her gaze. "Thanks. Now get some rest."

"You too," she said returning the smile to let him know that they were good before making her way into the bedroom she shared with Matthew. She fell back on the bed and pulled the pillow over her face so that no one could hear her. "Holy freakin hell. I think I'm in love with Marshall Mann."


	16. Home is Where the Hurt is?

**Ch. 16: Home is Where the Hurt is?**

**A/N: I'm back and hope to get the rest of this story done without any more long interruptions. A big thanks to sfchemist for agreeing to beta the remainder of the story for me. They will be at his parents in next chapter, this was just getting too long. Please let me know what you think?**

After beginning to suspect she had more than just friendly feelings toward Marshall, Mary didn't sleep a wink. She did everything from count sheep to breathing exercises, but it didn't help. Her mind kept going back to Marshall. 'He's not you? Where the fuck had that come from?' she asked herself over and over. Of course Raph wasn't Marshall. One was her lover and the other was her partner and friend. She loved them both. Or did she? Maybe that's the problem? She didn't love Raph. He had been good to her and was an amazing lover, but she never thought of him as more than that. Marshall, on the other hand, she did love. He was her best friend and her partner, and he knew her better than anyone else in the world. They drew off of each other's strengths and accepted each other's failings. She'd be lost without him, but that didn't mean that there was anything more to their relationship.

Mary breathed a sigh a relief at her realization that this was all just a misunderstanding. Between her break up with Raph and dredging up Marshall's past, she had been worked up and emotional, they had both been. 'And let's face it Mare, you haven't been able to release your stress in the usual way,' she chuckled to herself. So she decided that enough was enough, and she needed to stop being so damn nice and setting everything off balance. "Marshall and I are friends and partners," she said out loud into the darkness of the bedroom, "end of story." But somehow, despite her declaration, there was some lingering doubt about the whole situation that kept her restless for the remainder of the night.

Mary was feeling very irritable, but was glad that the sleepless night had come to an end. She was resolved to getting her partnership with Marshall back to where it was a few days ago, and was now the one wondering if this trip was such a good idea after all. "You think I'd know better. What is it they say about good intentions?" she said to Matty as she fed him breakfast.

"What was that?" Marshall asked as he walked in from packing up the truck.

"Huh?" Mary said, surprised to see him standing there. "Oh, nothing. Are we all set to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

"I'm really sorry about all this, Marshall. I don't know what I was thinking. Well, obviously I wasn't. I swear I'm done with all this crap. You know, I can call your mom and tell her something came up."

"Done with what crap exactly? Being my friend?" Marshall said sounding offended and hurt.

'Jesus, here we go again,' Mary thought. "Don't get your panties in a twist, Doofus. That's not what I meant. I just meant that, while I'll always have your back, I'm not sticking my nose in the middle of your family drama again unless you hold a gun to my head first."

Marshall took a breath and pondered her words. It was obvious Mary was feeling cranky and more like herself today. He also knew he was being oversensitive due to their impending departure. Either way, what she was saying was total bullshit and he told her so with the smirk on his face.

A silent battle began as she gave him her best _just give me a reason_ glare in return. No one knows how long they would have stayed that way if they hadn't been interrupted by Matty as he gave his opinion on the situation in form of flying banana all over Mary's shirt.

"Giggles!" she screeched jumping out of the chair.

"Well I guess we know whose side he's on," Marshall said laughing earning him one of the worst looks he had yet to receive from his partner. He realized he was probably in for it if he didn't do something, so he grabbed the dishtowel and moved to help her.

She grabbed his hand before he could touch her chest with the towel and said, "Don't even think about it."

"I was just…oooh, right." He handed her the towel and dropped his hand.

"If you want to do something to help," Mary said trying to stay calm, "take the baby to the car and get him strapped in. I'll be right down."

Without another word, Marshall picked up the baby and left. When Mary appeared and climbed into the passenger seat, he was surprised to see her wearing one of his t-shirts and couldn't suppress his grin no matter how much he would have liked too.

"Shut up!" she snapped. The few clean shirts she had were already packed, so she had thrown on one of his and figured she's just change when she got home, but she wasn't going to waste her breath explaining herself to him at this point. She knew he was still smiling, so she looked out the window and ignored him.

Despite their little mishap, they were actually at Mary's house before 8am and ahead of schedule. Before getting out of the car, she told Marshall to check in with Stan. She was still mad, but the reminder was more to cover her ass than his. Then she left him with Matty and went inside to grab her things. As she pulled out her keys, she wished she had come in the middle of the night and avoided her family.

"Mary, is that you?" she heard before she was even inside the house.

"Yeah, Mom," she said rolling her eyes as she closed the door.

"Honey! Where have you been?"

"Working. Where else would I be?" Mary answered annoyed as she entered the kitchen to find her mother waiting.

"Well, Raphael stopped by looking for you yesterday. Have you talked to him?"

"No, Mom. I just told you I've been working."

"You should call him, sweetie. I'm sure he's not mad anymore."

"And just what exactly does he have to be mad about, Mom?"

"Now, Mary, if you just…I mean, why can't you just meet his mother?"

"Jesus Christ, Mom. Not that it's any of your business, but Raph broke up with me."

"Oh, sweetie. I'm sure if you just spent some time with him and met his mother he'd take you back."

"Excuse me. Who the hell says I want him to take me back? Honestly, the truth is I can't believe it took me this long to realize how wrong we are for each other. And now if you're done, I need to go grab my stuff and get out of here. Marshall's waiting."

"Oh, of course, if Marshall's waiting. You'd better hurry up," Jinx said annoyed. "Is that Marshall's shirt your wearing? It is, isn't it? What the hell do you think you're doing young lady?"

"I'm not doing anything Mom?"

"I don't believe you! And what am I supposed to tell Raphael?"

"You know what, Mom, you can tell him whatever you want or better yet, stay the hell out of it! Now, I have to get back to work, not that anyone around here has any idea what that means."

"That's how you talk to your mother? That job of yours is always more important than everything else."

"You know what, Mom, to be honest, it is. So I don't have time for the melodrama right now," Mary said walking into her room and slamming the door. It seemed like every time she entered her house all she could think about was getting out as quickly as possible. She thought about the fact that Marshall really didn't want to be going to see his parents and wondered if he felt the same way about being around them. It seemed very hard to believe that the Mann's could be anything like the dysfunction that was the Shannon's. She decided that anything had to be better then this and figured some down time in Colorado might be nice after all. Throwing the rest of her things in the bag, she left her room and headed for the front door as quickly as possible.

"When will you be home again?" her mother hollered from the kitchen.

"Don't know," she yelled and then said more quietly to herself, "if I'm lucky, never."

After tossing her bag in the back of the SUV, she climbed in the front and said, "Let's go."

Marshall put the car in gear and pulled out onto the road. Mary watched her house fade from view and honestly didn't feel the smallest twinge of longing. 'I'm more attached to the damn extended stay place then my own,' she thought as she shook her head.

"You okay?" Marshall asked.

"Yeah," she said smiling at him for the first time this morning, "I'm good."

Before they even hit the highway, Mary was asleep curled up in the passenger side seat facing Marshall. He couldn't help but steal glances at her every now and then. She looked so peaceful when she slept that it was hard to believe she was the same woman, not that he would want to change her. It was possible that he was just a glutton for punishment, but he loved her just the way she was. She was the most difficult and infuriating woman he knew, but he was one of the lucky few, that on rare occasions, bore witness to her vulnerable and soft side. And moments like now, were the ones he cherished the most. When he could appreciate her for who she was without judgement from anyone, especially her.

***

"Mmmm,' he heard from the seat next to him and smiled as he watched her form slowly reanimate. "mmm, what time is it?" she asked sleepily.

"11:00."

"Really? Wow, I was really out of it."

"Yes, you were. Didn't you sleep well last night?" Marshall asked innocently not realizing he was embarking into dangerous territory.

"What?! Why?!" Mary snapped as she sat straight up slightly panicked. Her mind was racing with all the thoughts that had kept her awake the night before. 'There's no way he could know that you didn't sleep last night, or why. Get a grip, Mary.' She knew that if he ever found out she had laid awake thinking about him, or worse yet, that she had in a moment of weakness believed herself to be in love with him, she would never hear the end of it. 'I'd rather eat a bullet then live with his over inflated ego,' she thought as Marshall brought her back to reality.

"Down tiger! I was just asking because it's obvious you're tired. I thought maybe Matty kept you awake last night, that's all."

Thankfully Marshall knew his partner well enough to know when something was off and when not to push her. His experience had also taught him never to antagonize her when she was tired. "Hey, we're about half way there and I think Matty's hungry, how about we stop for some coffee?"

'Damn it,' Mary thought to herself, 'How the hell does he do that?' It pissed her off that he knew exactly what to do to diffuse her and sometimes she resented it, but the idea of coffee was too tempting. So she let it go for now and made a mental note to be mad at him later. "Fine, but your buying. And I want breakfast too."

"Well, technically it's lunch," he said ignoring her glare as they pulled off the Interstate. He pulled into the small parking lot of the diner and parked the SUV in a spot away from any other cars.

Mary jumped out to get Matty from the back. "I hope you're hungry, kid, cause Uncle Marshall is buying. Maybe we'll even get some to go," she said taking him out of his seat and putting him on her hip, "just in case we need a snack later."

"I'll catch up with you two in a minute," Marshall shouted after them taking his cell phone from his pocket. "I'm just going to let my mom know about what time we'll be there."

"Okay, but I'm ordering you coffee, so you better hurry up," she hollered back as she opened the door and went in.

He sighed as he watched them disappear into the building and dialed his mother's number. While he waited for her to answer, he started thinking again about all the reasons they shouldn't be making this trip, but his thoughts were cut short by his mother's voice. After telling her where they were and giving her an estimated time of arrival, he put his phone away and headed inside.

Mary looked up from a booth in the back, where she and Matty were sitting, and smiled as she waved him over.

"You have a beautiful family," the waitress said as he made his way to the table.

"Excuse me?" Marshall questioned looking up in surprise.

"I was just saying what a lovely family you have. You're a lucky man."

"Oh, yes. Thank you," he answered as his brain was slowly registering what she had said. Then, he smiled and nodded politely as he turned to make his way over to the table saying, "They are beautiful, aren't they?" His smile quickly faded though as he thought about the reality of the situation. Everything he'd been dreaming about was literally right in front of him, yet it wasn't his, and he knew the likelihood of it ever being his was almost nonexistent. He wanted to keep his promise never to leave her, but he was starting to wonder how much longer he would be able to stand on the sidelines and watch.

Mary noticed the change in his face as he walked toward them. "You okay?" she asked as he sat down across from her.

"Yeah," he said unconvincingly. He saw the concern on Mary's face and realized he was just feeling sorry for himself. Giving her a look that told her not to worry, he grabbed a menu and said, "So what's good to eat around here?"

***

Matty was very awake after their stop, so Mary decided to sit in the back with him to keep him company. Marshall teased that she was only doing it because she was mad he wouldn't let her drive, but she would never give him the satisfaction of admitting it.

They entered Colorado shortly after getting back on the Interstate and were making excellent time. Marshall watched Mary and Matty in the rearview mirror just about as much as he watched the road. He knew he shouldn't, but it was addictive to see Mary so relaxed and unguarded.

Mary was well aware of Marshall's gaze from the mirror, but pretended not to know he was watching. Surprisingly, it didn't upset her and when she thought about why that was she realized she would be more upset if he weren't checking up on her. He was Marshall, her often overprotective partner and friend, and that is just how he was. Then she started to wonder exactly when it was that he had slipped into that role in her life. She didn't let people in, not since her dad had left. 'So how is it that this man was able to worm his way in?' she thought as she looked up to meet his eyes and saw him shift slightly in his seat. 'What had he called himself in that rundown truck stop…my keeper?'

She caught his eye and smiled at him, remembering his promise not to leave her and how she never would have made it through all the insanity of the past year without him.

While she was smiling in remembrance of how he has been there for her, always supportive and never judgmental, Marshall was squirming at the horror of being caught watching her. His body tensed in preparation for the onslaught, but it never came. Instead, she simply held his gaze for a moment longer.

Her actions were a little unsettling because Marshall had no idea what was going on in her head. When he determined there was no verbal assault imminent, he relaxed and his thoughts began to wander.

In the backseat, Mary's thoughts had also drifted. She was musing, once again, about the nature of their partnership, Marshall's role in her life and how it could all change thanks to that one fleeting thought the night before. A voice, half forgotten, drifted across her consciousness, 'At the end of the day, it's about you and your partner. Nothing else matters.' With that thought, Mary turned to see that Matty was asleep, so she placed her arm across the car seat protectively and leaning back against the headrest, she closed her eyes.

Marshall wasn't sure how much time had past when he realized that the car had gotten very quiet. Looking in the mirror, he saw that Mary was asleep again with her right arm protectively covering Matty, whom he assumed was also asleep. He turned on the radio and tried to clear his head of all thoughts for the remainder of the trip.

Mary smiled slightly as she heard Marshall turn up the music and start to sing. There were too many thoughts and memories swimming around in her head to sleep, but it was nice to be still and just listen.


	17. If I Guide You, Will You Follow?

**Ch. 17: If I Guide You, Will You Follow?**

**A/N: This one's a little shorter, but please read and review and I will work on getting next one up as soon as possible. Happy Halloween!**

The next couple of hours of the trip had been quiet. Mary alternated between resting her eyes and watching out the window. The only conversation had consisted of Marshall asking her if the music was bothering her when he realized that she wasn't actually asleep.

They got off the Interstate onto Route 50 and headed west toward Canon City. It was at that point that Mary finally spoke. "So where exactly do your parents live?"

"West of Canon City near Parkdale, along the river. They're kind of secluded where they are, and I guess you could say they don't really have any neighbors."

"Really? Wow. Well, I guess I can see how that would be appealing, depending on who you were secluded with of course," Mary said, her mind filling with the possibilities as she looked toward Marshall only to find his eyes on her in the mirror. They held each other's gaze for several moments and Mary could once again feel the tension building between them, so she tried to lighten the mood saying, "I mean, seriously, could you imagine my family forced to live that way? I'd give it 24 hours tops before the bodies started piling up."

Marshall shook his head at her and returned his eyes to the road. It wasn't until they entered the city limits of Canon City that he spoke up again. "You know, Canon City was established in the first decade of the 20th Century with the wealth from the gold rush as an escape from the mining camps. Many of the original brick buildings of the town, which we will be passing shortly, are still standing today," he said as he navigated his way across town. "Instead of searching for gold though, most people come here now for recreational purposes. There's fishing and rafting along the Arkansas River, and the Royal Gorge Historic Rail Route was restored in 1999, allowing visitors amazing views over a 12 mile stretch of the Gorge."

"You really should look into getting paid for your services as a human tourist brochure," Mary said sarcastically.

"And give up the joy I get from being your own personal escort? Never!" Marshall joked.

Mary smirked as she realized this was her perfect chance to work out some of the frustration she'd been feeling over the fact that Marshall knew her all too well sometimes. The fact that she could have a little fun in the process just made her all the more eager. 'He thinks he can read me so well and predict my reactions, let's just see how he likes it when I push his buttons,' she pondered as she set to her task. "My own personal escort, huh? Is that what you are calling subjecting me to your constant diarrhea of the mouth?" she said as she used his seat to pull herself toward him so that her mouth was just inches from his ear. "You know, Marshall," she whispered in a husky voice with a cat like grin on her face, "in my world, being an escort requires some very different and much more satisfying services than being a tour guide. And talking, well let's just say that's not even on the list."

She could see her words register as he watched her carefully in the mirror. His eyes suddenly grew wide and color crept up the back of his neck, eventually turning the ear next to her a very interesting shade of red. He quickly turned his attention back to driving as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

'Holy hell,' Marshall cursed to himself, 'what is she doing? And Jesus, Mann, what is wrong with you? She's got you acting like a 16-year-old virgin. Snap out of it!' As he sat up higher in his seat and tried to regain control, he felt cool air return to his neck and suddenly became aware of her absence.

Mary debated continuing her torture of Marshall, but after seeing his reaction to her previous comments was concerned they would end up in a fiery wreck. So when she was satisfied she had complete control over him, she decided it was best to lay off and moved to settle herself back in her seat. She saw him go from agonizing over the situation to looking lost when he realized she had pulled away, and she couldn't help but smile at how cute he looked in that moment.

"Tease," he said disapprovingly as the blush from his arousal faded.

"Prude," she snapped back.

Marshall refused to let Mary see him sulk and redirected his attention to the road, while Mary was torn between wanting to laugh at how easily he played into her hands and fearing that maybe she had pushed it a little too far. They passed through Canon City in silence. They each took in the surroundings, while avoiding each other, until Mary inadvertently looked up as Marshall was checking the rearview mirror.

Neither said a word as their eyes locked, each one's glare challenging the other. It wasn't more than a few moments before they both burst out laughing at how absolutely ridiculous they can be. They didn't know whether it was the stress of the past few days, or the uncertainty of what lie ahead of them in Colorado, but all their pent-up anxiety came pouring out in the form of hysterics that left them gasping for air and wiping the tears from their eyes.

All of their silliness had woken Matty, who seemed very anxious for the long road trip to be over. The two Marshals calmed down and composed themselves, as Mary attempted to soothe the baby. Matty wasn't being too cooperative, and she was starting to suspect they might need to pull over and check his diaper. She sighed in relief when they turned off onto a small dirt lane.

"Are we here?" she inquired.

"We sure are," Marshall answered, unable to mask the conflicting emotions in his voice.

"Good. Because I think someone needs to be changed," Mary said wrinkling her nose at the odor that was starting to take over the back seat of the car.

"Phew. Geez Mary, you couldn't have waited a few more minutes!"

"Laugh it up, Dumbass, because I'm not the one that's going to be changing him."

"Like that's a surprise! But now, instead of complaining, why don't you try something a little more helpful and give him the pacifier?" Marshall said to Mary before trying to reassure Matty, "It'll just be a few more minutes, buddy."

"Don't you think I tried that already? I'm not an idiot. He's not having any of it," Mary said getting annoyed at her inability to handle Matty and at Marshall's stupid remarks. "And one more sarcastic comment, Marshall, and I swear to God I'll kick your ass all the way back to Albuquerque!"

"Well, see if you can just calm him down a little so he's not screaming when we pull up. What about the monkey?"

"Geez, what is it with you people and that freakin' monkey?" she barked as she searched the diaper bag for it. "Where the..found it!" She handed it to Matty and was dumfounded at the instant silence. "Well, would you look at that?"

Normally, Marshall would have taken the opportunity to gloat, but they were just pulling up to the house. He put the truck in park and just sat for a minute.

Mary could sense her partner get tense as he parked the truck near the house. Seeing him take in a deep breath, she laid her hand on his shoulder in support. He turned around and gave her a look of gratitude. Then, he reached up and squeezed her hand, letting his linger on top of hers for a few moments. Deciding they could no longer delay the inevitable, he moved to open the door and climbed out.

Mary took a deep breath and followed right behind him. She wasn't even out of the truck when she heard his mother approaching. "Marshall, sweetie, it's so good to see you," she said walking over and pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Hi Mom. How are you?" he said with genuine care and concern in his voice. Mary could tell in that moment, that despite whatever issues the Mann Family may have, Marshall loved his mother very much.

Looking up, she cupped his cheek in her hand and said, "I've missed you so much." Mary could hear the woman's voice waiver and was certain there were going to be tears, when all of the sudden she turned to face Mary.

"Mary, it's so nice to see you again. We are so glad you were able to make the trip with Marshall," she said with a coy smile as she winked at Mary so that Marshall couldn't see.

Mary was caught off guard and almost laughed, but she quickly composed herself. There was something in the woman's face she trusted and she decided to wait until they had some privacy to ask for an explanation. "Thank you, Mrs. Mann. I'm happy to be here."

Just then there was a noise from inside the truck. Mary and Marshall looked at each other and then at his mother. "That's right, you did mention there would be someone joining you. Well, it's awful rude for us to be standing here like this." She turned her attention to her son and said, "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Right…yes, of course, Mom," he replied as he gave Mary a look pleading for some help.

"Yes," Mary said smiling as she took control of the conversation. "How rude of us, Marshall. I'll just go around and get him." She left them, as Marshall looked after her anxiously, and made her way around the truck to get Matty out of his car seat.

Just as she took the baby in her arms, she heard footsteps and a gruff voice say, "Son."

"Dad," Marshall answered in a much different tone than the one he'd used with his mother.

"How was the trip? Any trouble?"

"No. The trip was fine, thanks."

"So where's that partner of yours? What's her name again?"

Marshall opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off as Mary appeared again. "My name is Mary Shannon."

Both of Marshall's parents looked over at the same time. 'Priceless,' Mary thought as she took in the looks on their faces and she knew she would never forget this moment as long as she lived. She looked over at her partner and smirked as she said, "Marshall, would you like to do the introductions or should I?"


	18. What's a Mann To Do?

****

Ch. 18: What's a Mann To Do?

Marshall looked back and forth between his parents and Mary, who was standing a few feet in front of them holding Matty, and he cursed himself for not being prepared for this moment. Marshall didn't miss small details. Ever. Until now. In his line of work, the details were the difference between life and death, and his ability to read and react to a situation was what made him so damn good at his job. When he had asked Mary about bringing Matty with them, she had responded by saying something about his mother knowing it wouldn't be just the two of them. He had been so worked up about the whole situation, that he had failed to see the vagueness in her response. Now, here they all stood, awkwardly, and he had absolutely no idea what to say. The fact that Mary was enjoying it a little too much only added to the increase in his blood pressure, and he was now convinced he would have a heart attack before they made it out of Colorado.

"Marshall," Mrs. Mann said, making a conscious effort to remain calm. "Is there something you'd like to share with us, sweetheart?"

Marshall stood there; still unable to form the words he needed to explain the situation. He thought back to the diner and how bittersweet it had been when the waitress complimented him on his family. Now, he couldn't help but wonder how his parents would react to being told they had a grandchild. And somewhere deep down, he was hoping he would have the opportunity someday to find out.

"Son, your mother asked you a question!" Mr. Mann bellowed when Marshall failed to respond.

"Hey," Mary said defensively, "Don't you…" Mary stopped mid sentence when she looked over and saw Marshall shaking his head almost imperceptibly at her. His face held one of the many expressions that could only be interpreted by her, and it was asking her to please let it go.

"Mom, Dad," Marshall finally said realizing the situation had gone on for too long, "I'd like you to meet Matthew, or Matty." He saw something like hope in his mother's eyes and wished he didn't have to disappoint her. "And no, Mom, he's not my son."

"Oh, so if you're not, then you two aren't, oh." his mom said trying to understand the situation and turning back toward Mary. "So how old is he?"

"He's about 6 months," Mary answered before it clicked in her head what Mrs. Mann was thinking. "Whoa! Wait just a minute. He's not my kid either!"

"He's not? Then I must admit that I am more than just a little confused."

"Um, Marshall and I are just babysitting for awhile," she said, not very confidently as she racked her brain for something more convincing to say. "He's my nephew! My sister had to go out of town and since I don't really know much about babies, Marshall agreed to help me take care of him." Mary looked over at Marshall, who was staring at her in disbelief. She knew they were sharing the same thought, about the absurdity of Brandi having a child, and had to turn away quickly before they both started to laugh.

Mary knew that Mr. Mann was a retired Chief Inspector, and would no doubt see right through her story, but there was really nothing else they could say at the moment. She had no idea if he was aware of what Marshall did for the Marshal Service, but it was her job to protect Matty, and that's what she was doing. She would let Marshall deal with his dad. Right now, she was tired from the trip and Matty really needed to be changed. "Speaking of babies, I believe there's something you need to take care of, Marshall," she said holding the baby out to him as she turned her head away from the smell, ignoring the looks she was getting from his parents.

"Actually," Mrs. Mann said, "I'll change him. That is, if Mary doesn't mind. It's been a long time since we've had any little ones around here and I'd like to help."

"I don't mind, if you don't," Mary said handing her the baby. Then she turned toward Marshall and said, "But don't think that gets you out of anything, Buster, because I won't forget."

"I wouldn't expect anything else, my little cercopithecoid."

"What did you just call me, Doofus?"

"A cercopithecoid. You said you wouldn't forget, indicating you have a good memory. A cercopithecoid is more commonly referred to…" He stopped speaking when Mary held up her hand in front of him.

"Stop right there. Not one more word or I swear I'll…" Mary remembered that they weren't alone and chose not to finish her sentence, but instead said, "I'm just gonna grab the diaper bag for your mother."

Mrs. Mann had watched, curiously, as the entire exchange between the partners took place. She couldn't help but feel that there was much more going on between them then they let on, and she smiled at the thought. "Mary," she said, "why don't you follow me into the house with the bag?" And with that, she turned and walked away from the group before anyone could respond.

"Uh, okay," Mary answered looking after Mrs. Mann as she walked away. She then turned to Marshall, who just shrugged, and she said, "I guess I'm going with your mom. Why don't you get our bags?"

"Robert," Mrs. Mann hollered before entering the house, "help Marshall with their bags and then you two can light the barbecue so I can get dinner started."

Mary saw Marshall's facial muscles tighten as he clenched his teeth at his mother's words, but all she could do was give him a sympathetic look as she made her way toward the house.

Marshall watched Mary disappear inside the house before turning his attention to unloading the truck. Since they were travelling with a baby, it wasn't quite as simple as grabbing a couple of bags and that meant it would only take that much longer, extending the amount of time he had to spend alone with his father. He knew his mother too well not to understand that she had left them alone purposely. Actually, he suspected her plans were twofold, and that she was using this time to perform her own type of interrogation on his partner.

"I'm surprised to see you, Son," his dad said joining him at the back of the truck. "I thought you were on assignment."

"I am…I mean, was," Marshall replied stumbling over the words. Over the years, he had come face to face with persons in authority, career criminals and more killers than he liked to think about, but the only person who was ever able to intimidate Marshall Mann was his father, and he resented him for it. Of course, he had never admitted that to anyone, not even himself. In his mind, his father was just impossible to please, and he had never been able to measure up.

"Well, your mother is very happy that you were able to get some time off to come visit."

Marshall just shook his head and thought to himself, 'Yeah, Mom is happy.'

When Marshall didn't say anything, his dad asked, "So, how long have you and Mary been partners now?"

"Almost 4 years."

"Really?" his father said sounding almost surprised. "I didn't realize it had been that long."

"Well, it has," Marshall answered curtly.

"She seems," his dad said, pausing briefly before continuing, "like an interesting woman. How many years does she have in?"

"10."

"Where was she before Albuquerque?"

"If you're really that interested, Dad, ask her, not me!" Marshall snapped getting annoyed with his dad's version of twenty questions. Of course, Marshall, being Marshall, immediately felt guilty for speaking to his father that way. "I mean, she doesn't bite. Well, not unless provoked," he chuckled. "So, don't say I didn't warn you." He smiled for the first time since their arrival thinking about how mad Mary would be if she knew he was comparing her to a dog. Unfortunately, his smile was short-lived.

"In this line of work, Son, your life depends on your partner. It's not a laughing matter and I don't think it's unreasonable for me to be concerned about who has your back."

"Ha!" said Marshall, unable to stop the words from coming out of his mouth. "Well, first you'd have to be concerned about my back."

He saw the look of disbelief on his father's face, but he didn't apologize. He knew he was being harsh, but it was how he felt and he decided that maybe it was about time he spoke up. As he waited for the backlash from his father, he began to debate the best way to make their escape back to New Mexico. After several moments, and no yelling, he looked up to see his dad calmly looking back at him, and thought, 'Well, this can't be good.'

"You're more than capable and a good Inspector, so I'm sure you have everything under control. I can see you two have a…strong partnership, since she's spending what little down time there is with you and you are helping her with her…nephew, is it?" Mr. Mann questioned having doubts about the story Mary had given them earlier.

Marshall didn't miss the insinuation in his father's voice and it made him angry. As far as he was concerned, his father had not made any attempt to be a part of his adult life, and therefore, had no right to judge him. "We're friends," Marshall said through his clenched teeth.

He had only been there five minutes and already was thinking of excuses to leave. 'I could always have Eleanor call with an emergency,' he mused as a devilish grin made it's way across his lips. But then, his thoughts returned to his mother and he reluctantly continued taking their things out of the truck. "Dad, could you take the portable crib into the house and ask Mom where we should put it?"

"Sure, Son," his dad answered, not unaware of his son's anger.

As he watched his father walk away, Marshall hoped that Mary was fairing better with his mother. They were two of the strongest, and most important, women he knew and he needed for them to like each other. And, if for some reason they didn't, he didn't want to be the one in between them when they clashed.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Mann had led Mary to an upstairs bedroom where she set to changing Matty. Mary sat the diaper bag on the bed and began to retrieve the items she knew would be needed and handed them to Marshall's mom.

"Mary, I'm glad we have a few minutes alone," his mom began, "because it'll give us a chance to talk and get to know each other a little better."

"Okay," Mary said cautiously, taking the baby wipes back from Mrs. Mann.

"Matthew is a beautiful baby."

"Yes, he is. He's sweet too. It's been a lot easier to take care of him then I thought it would," Mary admitted, before quickly adding, "but don't you dare tell Marshall I said that."

Mrs. Mann laughed and replied, "Your secret is safe with me." Mary studied the woman as she tried to figure out why she felt so comfortable with her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Mrs. Mann broke her concentration saying, "I feel bad for your sister, it must be very difficult."

"Why on earth would you feel sorry for Brandi?" Mary blurted out and then quickly realized her mistake. 'Damn it,' she cursed to herself. She could feel Mrs. Mann's eyes on her and she tried to think of how to recover from her slip up.

"I just meant that it must be hard to be separated from your child," Mrs. Mann asked, her curiosity peaked by Mary's strange reaction. "How long will she be gone?"

"Oh, she won't be gone for that long, which is why there's no reason to feel sorry for her," Mary said trying to make light of her earlier remark. "She has this amazing little guy to come home to."

"True," Mrs. Mann said feeling as if she was missing a piece to a puzzle. "Besides, I'm sure she's enjoying having a break, knowing that the baby is in such good hands."

Mary was feeling very uncomfortable with the conversation, so she started to move about the room. She settled by the window and could see Marshall at the truck with his father. She didn't know what was being said, but she caught a glimpse of a smile on Marshall's face and hoped it was a sign they were getting along. But then, the smile faded as quickly as it had appeared, and she could see Marshall's body grow tense. After a brief exchange, Mr. Mann picked up the crib and headed toward the house, leaving Marshall behind. She recognized the look on his face because it was one that she often wore herself. He was tired, sad and disappointed, but mostly feeling alone. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to be able to comfort him and that brought all the confusing feelings of the night before flooding back into her consciousness.

Trying to escape her thoughts, she quickly moved away from the window and toward a chest of drawers with picture frames carefully arranged along the top. "Mrs. Mann," she began to say, but was quickly cut off.

"Margaret. Please, call me Margaret."

"Okay. Then, Margaret, I was just wondering why on earth you winked at me earlier."

Margaret chuckled to herself. She was glad to see that Mary was so direct. She respected a person that had the confidence to say what they were thinking. "Oh that! It's just that I know my son, and I know he didn't just drop everything to come for a visit without some convincing. You have no idea how relieved I was when you answered his phone."

"Really?"

"Yes. Besides figuring out what is going on with Robert, I think it's high time for this family to deal with the past. And somehow, I knew you would be able to get him here. I don't want to know how you did it, but I'm grateful that you did." There were many more things she wanted to talk to Mary about, especially in regard to Marshall, but she decided that it was better to wait. They had only just arrived and she didn't want to ruin the moment by pushing too hard.

"You're welcome, Mrs…Margaret. I'm glad I could help," Mary said sincerely, but there was something else she had to say and it was important. She grew serious and continued, "You need to know that I will always be there for Marshall, 110%, to make sure that he doesn't get hurt; and I'm not just talking about work. I will protect him from anything, or anyone, that tries to hurt him."

Margaret moved toward Mary and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked directly in her eyes and said, "I know you will, Mary. I know you'll be there for him and I couldn't ask for anything more."

As Mary looked back into Margaret Mann's eyes, she realized why she had felt so comfortable in her presence, it was like she was looking at Marshall. They shared not only the same eyes, but also the same ability to use them to express themselves wordlessly.

"Now, let's get going. We've probably left them on their own too long as it is," Margaret said smiling at Mary. "Let's just hope they lit that barbecue or we may never eat." She saw the look of horror on Mary's face and realized how hungry she must be. "I hope you like ribs," she said over her shoulder as she made her way down the hall.

It took everything Mary had not to run after Marshall's mom and kiss her. "Yes!" she said to Matty, who was sitting on her hip. "Did you hear that, Giggles? Ribs! I think I may love that woman almost as much as I love her son." And with that, Mary followed after Margaret to find the men, totally unaware of the words she had just spoken.

**A/N: Thanks again to my wonderful beta, sfchemist. Now, do me a favor and let me know you're out there. Just push the button below and give me your thoughts.**


	19. Let's Give Her Something to Talk About

Ch. 19: Let's Give Her Something to Talk About

**A/N: As always, my thanks to sfchemist. I really don't think I'd be able to finish this without her help. I'm run down and tired and really hope this chapter works because I've been trying to finish it for a week. **

Mary felt a wonderful sense of fullness after finishing off all of the ribs that Marshall's mom had prepared. She had waited to make sure everyone else was finished before grabbing what was left for her own consumption, drawing an odd look from Mr. Mann and a smile from his wife. Now, she lay content on the bed in the guestroom with Matty watching Marshall set up the portable crib. It had been decided earlier that she would stay in that room with the baby, while Marshall slept on the sofa bed in the den.

"You know, I doubt the little guy is going to go to sleep anytime soon considering he slept almost the entire way here." Mary said to Marshall as he struggled to get the crib standing properly.

"Well, would you rather wait until he was asleep to set this thing up?" Marshall went to lock in the final piece of the crib when it pinched the skin of his hand. "Damn it," he cursed.

"What the hell are you doing over there?" Mary questioned.

"Not what I'm supposed to be, obviously. I really don't understand why every baby related item is made so ridiculously difficult to assemble," he said as he sat down next to her on the edge of the bed and began sucking on his wound.

"Here, let me," Mary said, not hiding the annoyance in her voice at being pulled from her post-rib afterglow.

"Yeah, sure. Have at it," he said sarcastically.

"What? You think I can't put a stupid crib together?" she snapped back.

"If I couldn't do it…" The words were not intended to be spoken aloud, but a quick glance at Mary's face made him realize his mistake. 'Shit.' He knew there was going to be trouble. "Look, Mare, I just meant…"

"No! I don't want to hear it," she said in a voice seething of anger. Then, suddenly, an evil smile made its way across her lips and the tension left her body as she said, "I'll bet you I can."

"I'm not going to bet you over a stupid crib."

"Scared? Not **man** enough…" Mary was all set to lay it on thick in order to sucker him into the bet, but she was interrupted.

"So, how are we getting on in here?" Margaret said from the doorway as Mary restrained herself from continuing her verbal assault on Marshall.

"We're fine, Margaret. Thank you," Mary replied with a smile, but as soon as Margaret turned her attention toward Marshall and Matty, she gave Marshall a _this is not finished_ glare. To which, he answered with a smug look that said, _bring it on_.

"So, is it time for Matty to turn in?"

"Normally, I'd say yes, Mom, but since he slept most of the day in the car, I doubt he'll be going down anytime soon."

As he spoke, Mary turned her attention to the crib and with one quick movement, she connected the last two sections and snapped them into place. She stepped back to admire her work before turning and sticking her tongue out at Marshall, who ignored her and continued his conversation with his mother. "Do you need any help cleaning up in the kitchen?"

"No, sweetie. It's all done," she answered with a wave of the hand indicating that it was no big deal. "Marshall, you should take Mary for a walk down to the river. It's only 7 o'clock, so you have almost 2 hours before it really gets dark."

"I know, but since Matty's still up its going to have to wait until tomorrow."

"Nonsense! I can watch Matty. It's not like I don't have any experience with children," she said sarcastically to her son.

"I know you can, Mom, but you shouldn't have to. We didn't come all this way so you could baby-sit."

"Don't be ridiculous, Marshall. I am offering because it's something I would like to do, not only for you, but for myself as well. Now I don't want to hear another word about it. Give me that beautiful baby and skadaddle. We'll be fine," Margaret said taking the baby into her arms. "And Mary, you may want to grab a light jacket because it gets pretty cool around here when the sun goes down, even in the middle of the summer." And with that, she disappeared down the hall.

Mary and Marshall were left alone staring at the empty doorway. Marshall slowly turned toward Mary not sure of what her reaction was going to be. He knew she was pissed off at him for his earlier comments and that there would be a price to pay.

Mary could feel Marshall's eyes on her as she struggled internally as to how she should handle the situation. She was angry about his earlier comment and looking to rub his face in the fact that she was able to do something he couldn't. However, there was a tiny voice nagging at her and she couldn't seem to make it stop. It was telling her that maybe, just this once, she should let it go and open herself up to the possibility of enjoying herself. But she fought back, screaming at the voice inside her head to back off. Nothing good had come from her listening to that little voice in the last few days, and she just wanted it to shut up already.

As he watched her silent battle, he decided that maybe a preemptive strike would be best. "So, if I admit to being a butthead, and promise you one ass kicking in the future, would you be willing to honor me with your company tonight."

Mary gave him a wary look as she thought about what he had said. "I believe you left something out," she said nodding her head toward the crib.

He rolled his eyes and replied, "Fine. You are the Queen of the crib and I shall never again doubt you."

She thought a few seconds before asking, "And I can kick your ass whenever I feel like it?"

"Once, yes. But just once! I'm not your new whipping boy, so don't get any ideas."

Mary pouted slightly at his last comment, but decided she could live with his terms. "Okay, you got yourself your deal," she stated as she held out her pinky to him.

"Oh c'mon, Mare. Seriously?"

"Seriously. Now pinky swear or no deal. You know the rules."

"Such a girl," he mumbled to himself as he stood up.

"What's that?"

"I didn't say a word," he responded holding out his pinky and wrapping it around hers. It never ceased to amaze him that this strong, willful woman, who constantly tried so hard to prove how tough she was, could be so child-like at times. He smiled as he thought about all of the silly and childish things that they had done during their partnership. It was in those moments that he knew she was still capable of finding happiness and he could only hope that he was able to continue to be a part of those times.

She saw the smile appear as he studied her and became uncomfortable. "What?" she spat out defensively.

"Nothing. Stop being so paranoid and let's go," he said over his shoulder as he headed for the door.

"You better watch your back, bucko, because you never know who may be about to kick your ass," she said mockingly as she followed behind.

***

As they were about to walk outside, she realized that not only had she forgotten her sweatshirt, but they had also forgotten to give his mother Matty's pacifier and the stupid monkey. So leaving Marshall waiting for her on the deck, she went back inside to retrieve them. As she headed back up the stairs, she heard Margaret's voice coming from the den. After hearing her mention Marshall's name, with great worry in her voice, Mary had stopped to listen. She knew Marshall wouldn't like the fact that she eavesdropped on his parents, but Margaret's tone had concerned her and she hadn't been able to stop herself.

Mary froze, one foot on the stair, and held her breath as she listened.

"You're being ridiculous, Robert. He's your son, the only child we have left, and you do nothing but push him further away."

"It's not like that, Peg."

"Well, then please explain it to me because you're on the verge of losing him forever," Margaret said in frustration. There was a brief pause in the conversation and Mary was about to turn away, when she spoke again. "There is obviously something going on with you and you refuse to discuss it with me. Did you really think I hadn't noticed? I know you know me better than that after all these years. Just answer one question for me, Robert, and I want an honest answer. Are you sick? Is that what this is about?"

"No, my dear, sweet Peg," he answered in much softer tone than Mary thought him capable of, "I'm not sick."

"Well, I'm thankful to hear it. The problem now, is that there is only one other thing I can think of that would have you so concerned and being so secretive. That is why I asked Marshall to come. Let him help you."

"While I appreciate what you're trying to do, Peg, you made a mistake. And now it's not only Marshall that I have to worry about, but his partner and this baby as well." After a short pause, Mary heard him say, "The sooner they head back to New Mexico, the better for everyone. And promise me, Peg, that whatever happens, you will do exactly what I tell you to, no questions asked. Promise me!"

"Calm down, Robert. You know I can take care of myself, but if it's that important to you, I promise."

"I just need to know that you're safe, that everyone is safe."

***

"I was getting ready to call in a search party," Marshall joked when Mary finally appeared next to him as he leant looking out over the river, admiring the view from his parents house.

"Let's just get going," she replied in a much quieter tone than usual.

Mary had been inside much longer than expected, and the change in her demeanor did not go unnoticed by her partner. She was very quiet, especially for Mary, and he furrowed his brow as he thought about the possible reasons for the change. The only thing that made sense to him was that she had gotten a call from her family or Raphael, and he was not happy at the thought of them bothering her, yet again. 'Why can't they just give her a break for once,' he thought to himself. Then he looked up to see Mary getting further ahead of him.

"Hey, wait up," he hollered as he jogged to catch up to her.

Mary had been more than a little disconcerted by the conversation between Marshall's parents and didn't know quite what to make of it. Now, it was replaying over and over again in her head as she traipsed through woods. She heard Marshall call out to her and could hear him approaching from behind. 'Damn it, Mary,' she berated herself, 'you said you weren't going to get involved in his family's problems!' She decided it was best to try and put what happened out of her mind for the time being. She started to move faster down the path as she yelled back over her shoulder, "Well, hurry up then, you slow poke."

They were halfway down the path that led from the house to the river when Mary realized she had forgotten to grab her sweatshirt. "Damn it."

"What is it?" Marshall asked with concern in his voice.

"I just forgot to grab my sweatshirt, again. Will you wait while I run up and grab it?"

"Don't worry about it. If you get cold, you can use mine."

"And what about you, doofus?"

"Don't worry about me," he said pulling a flask from his back pocket, "I'll be just fine."

"Tsk, tsk," Mary scolded sarcastically, "What would your mother say, young man?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm a big boy now," he replied almost as if he were challenging her to look at him.

"Well, big boy, I hope you plan on sharing that or I really will kick your ass."

He shook his head at her remark. "Have a little patience and I promise it will be rewarded," he said as he put the flask back in his pocket, glad to see that she was once again acting like herself. Then he returned his attention to the path in front of them as Mary held back slightly and let him lead. What she had failed to tell him, was why she had forgotten her sweatshirt and her thoughts returned once again to what happened before she left the house.

**Now please push the button and share your thoughts. It will help me feel better so I can get on with the fun I have planned for the next chapter.**


	20. Beerfore Sunset

**Ch. 20: Beerfore Sunset**

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating, but this chapter took awhile to come to me. The result is a slightly longer chapter that I hope you'll find entertaining. Thanks to the wonderful sfchemist and the emails of encouragement from Grammar Maven and BujYo.**

Mary temporarily forgot what she had overheard as she concentrated on not falling into the water. After arriving at the river, Marshall began leading her downstream over the slippery rocks and it took all of her concentration to stay upright. "Who are we, Lewis and Clark?" she said annoyed as her foot slipped off a rock and into the water. "I am not walking all the way to Arkansas."

"They followed the Missouri River, not the Arkansas. Now, didn't I say your patience would be rewarded?" Marshall replied, as he seemed to make his way from rock to rock effortlessly, annoying Mary all the more.

"Because you know patience is my strong suit," she snapped back sarcastically as she pushed him from behind. She stopped and laughed as she watched him teeter on one foot, arms stretched out to his sides in an attempt to regain his balance.

After finding his equilibrium once again, Marshall looked back over his shoulder at Mary and smirked. He knew he was playing with fire, but he couldn't help it. Something inside him seemed to be spurring him on, making him want to push the envelope as far as Mary was concerned and he wasn't fighting it this time. He was having too much fun. Once again, he directed his attention down river, and leapt forward to the next group of rocks leaving Mary glaring after him.

There was no way Mary was going to let herself be out done by Marshall, so she sucked it up and kept right behind. She was just about to start complaining again when he stopped and faced the shore. She was so busy trying to keep up that she crashed right into him. If it hadn't been for Marshall's quick reflexes, they would have both gone toppling into the water. Instead, he braced his feet against the rocks as he reached out and wrapped his left arm around her and pulled her close in order to absorb her forward momentum.

It took a second for Mary to recover and realize just how close she was to Marshall, held there by the arm he had around her waist. She hesitated before looking up to meet his bright blue eyes. As they gazed at each other, he brought his free hand to her face and gently pushed her hair back behind her ear. Mary suddenly felt the world slipping away as he let the back his hand linger on her cheek. She stood up on her toes and leaned into him, bringing their faces within inches. He removed his hand, and disappointment swept over her until she felt his fingertips lightly gliding down her left arm until their hands barely touched. The motion sent a chill through Mary that shook her to the core and yanked her back to reality, her body responding to her panic by becoming rigid.

Marshall felt Mary tense and instinctively grabbed her hand as he searched her eyes for an answer. She pulled her hand from his grip and tried to turn away to avoid his gaze, but he placed his free hand under her chin and guided her attention back to him. In a silent exchange, he asked if there was anything wrong and she answered with a slight shake of the head and a reassuring smile. As she pulled away she said, "So, what's so special about this spot because I seem to remember being promised a reward for my patience?"

He reluctantly let go of her as she pulled away, and knowing better than to crowd her, he took a step backward in order to give her the space she needed. However, he couldn't stop the smirk that appeared on his face as she asked him about her reward.

"Pervis!" Mary teased as she hit his stomach with the back of her hand.

"What?" Marshall asked innocently as he made his way toward the trees. "C'mon. Over here."

"This is going to be some kind of Blair Witch expedition, isn't it?" Mary said waiting a few seconds before following him. "Cause I really don't feel like...wow!"

"I thought you might you like it. It's a little more comfortable than sitting on the rocky ground," Marshall said motioning for her to sit down. "This is my dad's special fishing spot. After they'd been here a couple of years, he decided to make it a little more comfortable."

Mary made her way over to Marshall. "Did he make this himself?" she asked sitting down on the wooden bench. The bench was carved out of a log and sanded down to a smooth finish. It had an elaborate backrest and each end was sanded flat to serve not only as armrests, but small tables.

"Yup. From the story he tells, it took him about 6 months," Marshall said in response to her question as he took the flask from his back pocket and sat down next to her.

"You don't believe him."

He just shrugged as he opened the flask and handed it to her. Mary smiled in gratitude and took a swig. "Whoa! Now that's the good stuff! What's the occasion?"

"Why do we need one?" Marshall asked rhetorically as he took the flask back from Mary and brought it to his lips, well aware of the glare he was receiving from his partner. He took a long drink and said, "It's just been a long day."

"Well, I can't argue with that," she conceded as she took the flask back.

"Besides, it's from the bottle I sent my dad last Christmas. It hadn't even been touched and somebody should enjoy it."

Marshall's tone was melancholic and Mary was concerned about him spiraling emotionally downward. She was a little off balance after the encounter they just had and she didn't think she could handle him falling apart right now. She knew she needed to distract him and pretending to be shocked said, "You mean you stole it from your parent's liquor cabinet?! Marshall Mann, we're not even here a day and you're turning into a rebellious, bad boy."

Marshall leaned toward Mary until his lips nearly touched her ear and whispered, "Don't you like a little bad in your boys, Mary Shannon?"

When Mary felt Marshall's breath in her ear, her whole body began tingle. 'Jesus Christ!' she swore inwardly, 'Who is this man that he can make me feel this way twice in a matter of minutes? I mean, it's just Marshall, right?' Then, from somewhere in the back of her mind came another voice that said, 'You're right, Mary. It is Marshall.' Mary had to stop herself from screaming out loud at the damn voice inside her head. She had been battling with it for days and didn't know how much more she could take. 'Well, then maybe you should just stop and listen,' it whispered again. Mary couldn't take anymore; she lifted the flask to her mouth once more and enjoyed the burn as she took a long pull.

Marshall settled back in his seat feeling a little unnerved. He wasn't sure how to deal with the lack of an off color retort or a direct insult. 'Maybe you shouldn't count yourself out just yet, Mann.' He shook his head dismissing the thought. Next thing he knew Mary was dangling the flask in front of him.

"You know, I do like a little bad in my boys," she said seductively as she placed her other hand on his knee, "but you know what I like more?"

Marshall was suddenly unable to speak and just shook his head no in reply.

"A man that can hold his liquor."

He took the flask from her and gulped the liquid down. He knew she was playing with him, but he also knew that's what he got for starting it. Now, the only question was; who was going to finish it.

"That sounded a lot like a challenge to me, Inspector Shannon. You think you're woman enough to keep up?"

"Oh, there are no Inspectors here tonight, Marshall Mann. It's just you and me, and I'm not the one you need to worry about. Only problem I can see is the fact that this flask is almost empty. I don't suppose you have another one hidden on you somewhere."

"Would you like to pat me down and check?" Marshall said feeling confident once again as the liquor in his system started to do its job.

"In your dreams, Mann. I have to say I'm surprised at your lack of foresight in this matter."

"O ye of little faith," he said getting up and walking toward the river once again.

"No, no," Mary said shaking a finger at him, "I am not going on another trek down that damn river. Besides, I doubt we'll find a liquor store."

With that, Marshall bent down and grabbed something out of the water. Mary watched in confusion as he steadily gathered what she assumed was a rope and wondered if it was some kind of bizarre fishing ritual, or if the liquor was having more of an effect on her than usual. Suddenly, he lifted something out of the water and held it up in victory.

"My dad may not appreciate good whiskey, but the man does love his beer," he said as he made his way back over to Mary.

"What the hell?" she asked as he laid the plastic milk crate in front her.

"Beer!" Marshall declared undoing the homemade wire cover and revealing the contents of the crate.

"Holy shit! That's beer," was all Mary seemed to be able to say.

"Another creation of my father's. He thought he could keep his beer drinking a secret by keeping it out of the house. Of course, the man's a fool when it comes to my mother because you can't hide anything from her. But, lucky for us he thought he could. And it looks like he just recently restocked."

"Well, I'll be damned," Mary said before raising the flask to her lips one last time. "Now pass me a beer because this thing is useless now." She tossed the flask at Marshall, who caught it in one hand as he tossed her back a beer with the other.

Once they had settled back on the bench with their newly found stash, they began to reminisce about their time together as partners. From their strangest witnesses to the weirdest cases, they talked and laughed about it all as they tackled the crate of beer in front of them, unaware of the time that had passed.

"You remember, Doofus," Mary said as she doubled over in hysterics, "when you put the thing on the chair and then tried to cover it up with that other thing. Then that jackass FBI dude showed up and Stan thought you taken care of the thing. That dudes face turned 10 shades of red. And oh man, was Stan pissed at you."

"No, no. It was you that put the first thing down and then you had to go say what you said, yanking Agent Asshole's chain. That's when Stan came in. It was your fault," Marshall claimed as he struggled to get the words out through the laughter.

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

The two partners fell quiet for a moment as they looked at each other accusingly. Then, they nearly fell off the bench as they burst out laughing once again. Tears fell from their eyes and they wiped them away trying to control the laughter, but the more they tried harder they laughed.

"Okay, okay," Marshall finally said in desperation. "Enough. Enough."

"You can't take it. Like when you put that thing…" Mary started to say trying to egg him on.

"No!" Marshall snapped. "We need to stop." He looked over to see Mary pouting. "Don't give me that look. Besides, there's no more beer left."

"What?" Mary questioned in disbelief. "There's no way we finished the whole 12 pack."

"We did," Marshall said holding up the empty crate for her to see.

"Well, now what?" Mary was feeling very relaxed and content for the first time in what seemed like ages and she didn't want the night to end.

"We head back, and quickly, because we seem to have lost track of time and it's almost dark." Despite the amount of alcohol in his system, Marshall had committed the events of the evening to his memory. He couldn't remember the last time he and Mary had just let loose and enjoyed themselves like that. He was in no rush to bring the evening to a close, but it was getting darker by the minute and they didn't have a flashlight.

"C'mon," he said, offering her his hand. She accepted it and pulled herself up. Neither let go and they started upstream hand in hand.

They did a surprisingly good job of getting themselves over the slippery rocks, considering their inebriated state and the lack of light. They were almost to the path that led to the house, which was a particularly tricky stretch to navigate, when Marshall let go of Mary's hand. "Just stay there a second while I find the best way for us to go," he said as he moved forward without her.

"Don't you dare leave me here!" she called after him.

"Relax, I'm not going anywhere."

"You better not," Mary said suddenly feeling as if they weren't alone. Once she had the feeling they were being watched, she couldn't shake it. "Marshall. I think there's something out there."

"Very funny, but I'm not falling for it."

"No, Marshall, there is definitely something out there," Mary said sounding more desperate.

"Fine, I'm coming back to get you."

Mary heard a noise coming from shore and panicked. She was not usually one to panic, but the combination of the alcohol and whatever seemed to be happening between she and Marshall had her on edge, so she ignored her better instinct to stay where she was and lunged forward in an effort to reach Marshall. She took a few steps before landing on a slippery surface and losing her balance. As she started to fall, she reached out to Marshall, who she could just make out a couple of steps ahead of her as he made his way back. Unfortunately, this time Marshall was mid-step and unprepared for Mary's sudden movement. Still, he reached his arm out to her in an attempt to keep her from falling.

Next thing Mary knew, she was laying flat on her back in the water with Marshall on top of her. "Ow, shit."

"What is it? Are you hurt?" Marshall asked in concern.

"I'd feel a lot better if you'd get your ass off of me!"

"Huh? Oh, yeah," he said picking himself and reaching to help her, "but I wouldn't be on top of you if you hadn't dragged me down with you in the first place."

Mary took Marshall's hand and pulled herself up. As she tried to take a step forward, a searing pain shot up her leg. "Ouch, ouch, ouch," she cried as she reached out for Marshall again. "It's my ankle."

"Come here," he said as he scooped her up and carried her to the path. "I can't believe you. Getting hurt just so I can't be mad at you for pulling me into the river," he teased as he set her down on the level ground. "Do you think you can walk?"

She tried to take a few steps and he could see the pain on her face. "Stop," Marshall ordered, "There's no way you can make it all the way back to the house on that foot. Look's like you get a ride on the Marshall express."

"The what?" Mary questioned looking at him like he was crazy.

"Well, I guess that didn't really come out right. I just meant you can ride on my back," he said giving her an innocent smile.

"Fine. Let's just get going, I'm getting cold."

"I'd offer you my sweatshirt, but somehow it got a little wet," he said sarcastically as he turned around and squatted so she could get on his back.

"Well, let's get the Marshall express going already," Mary jested as she climbed up.

"Hang on," he said as he made his way toward the house. He was cold and he could feel Mary shivering as she snuggled into his back with her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders. He only wished he could take the time to enjoy her being so close, but his wet jeans were making it difficult to walk any faster and he wished they were still back by the river, drinking and dry.

"Giddy up, Marshall," Mary said as she gently kicked her foot into his side.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"No? Cause I don't think there's much you can do about it," she said doing it again.

"Now you've done it!" Marshall hollered as he adjusted his hold on her legs so that he could reach his hand around her knee to tickle her.

Mary erupted in hysterics and started wiggling. Marshall almost dropped her several times, but they still continued their game. He'd tell her to stop, she'd kick him again, and he'd tickle the back of her knees. They were both in hysterics by the time they finally reached the house. Marshall arrived at the bottom of the steps to the deck and was about to put Mary down, when he looked up to see his mother standing at the top and froze.

"What the hell Marsh…" Mary started to say until she followed his gaze up and saw his mom.

Margaret took in the sight before her. Mary was clinging to Marshall's back and they were drenched. She had been in the kitchen when she heard the yelling outside. She had opened the door to investigate when she heard Marshall's laughter, along with what she assumed was Mary's, echoing through the woods. She smiled to herself, happy that they were obviously enjoying themselves. As they approached, she moved out onto the deck to wait. "What on earth happened to you two?"

Mary nudged Marshall and he set her down. She used the railing as a crutch as she made her way slowly up the stairs, Marshall following close behind. "Mary, dear, are you hurt?" Margaret asked.

"I think I just twisted my ankle. I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Do I want to know why you two are all wet?" his mom asked as they arrived at the top of the stairs, but Mary and Marshall just looked at each other, trying to contain the laughter threatening to spill out. As sobering as the trip back to the house had been, it hadn't been enough to get all the alcohol out of their system.

"Marshall Robert Mann, have you been drinking?" His mom said now that they were close enough for her to smell the beer on their breath.

Margaret's question was all it took to send Mary over the edge and she burst into hysterics, Marshall following suit.

"Okay, that's enough. Get inside you two and get cleaned up. Then I want to take a look at that ankle and make sure it's not serious," Margaret said as she ushered them through the door and locked it behind them, Mary and Marshall giggling the entire time.

**I'm hard at work on the next section. In the meantime, push the button and share your thoughts. Did you laugh? Did it make you want to go out drinking? Whatever you have to say, say it now. **


	21. Close Encounters of the Three Kinds

**A/N: I could never thank sfchemist enough for being such a wonderful beta. Also, I really appreciate all your comments. They have helped me forge ahead despite the occasional writer's block. The story is not coming as easily, but you are rewarded for your patience with longer chapters.**

**Ch. 21: Close Encounters of the Three Kinds**

Mary opened her eyes, but shut them quickly in reaction to the sunlight streaming through the open window. She felt the fuzziness in her head when she turned away from the irritating brightness that filled the room, burying her face in the pillow. As her body began to awaken, the first thing she felt was something tight around her ankle. She began to move it to assess the pain as the adventures of the night before began to play out like a slideshow in her mind. A smile crept across her face at the memories until she became aware of the weight of something across her back and the deep, rhythmic sound of someone breathing next to her.

Her eyes flew open to see Marshall's face inches from her own, and suddenly, she was very awake and very aware of everything around her. It was far from the first time that she and Marshall had shared a bed, but all of the other times had been during assignments when one of them would sleep while the other kept watch. They had never woken up intertwined as they were now. They were both on their stomachs; his arm draped across the small of her back while her left leg was over his right. Mary surprised herself by not being more alarmed by the situation. She took a deep breath, taking in Marshall's scent, much like she had that first morning at the safe house after sleeping in his bed. Her mind drifted, and took her back through the events that led to their current state.

After Margaret had ushered them into the house last night, they had quickly changed and sat in the kitchen warming up. While Mary sat with an ice pack on her ankle, Robert Mann passed through the kitchen on his way to bed. He paused briefly, regarded the pair sitting at the table and mumbled something assumed to be good night before heading upstairs. Mary, still feeling the effects of the alcohol, had snarled in response, but any further remark about his father was swallowed when she felt Marshall's foot kick her good leg under the table.

While the partners sat in silence, Margaret put a plate of crackers and two glasses of water on the table. Then, she politely instructed Mary that she was going to have to share the pull out bed in the den with Marshall. As Mary began to protest, she said in no uncertain terms that there was no way either of them could look after Matty in the state they were in, and therefore, she would sleep in the guestroom with him in case he needed anything. Not being able to argue that point, Mary acquiesced and Margaret said good night. She kissed her son on the cheek and whispered something in his ear, before leaving them alone.

Marshall had immediately gotten up and busied himself in the kitchen. Mary didn't need to ask what he was doing because she knew he was making his infamous concoction for avoiding a hangover. They didn't often drink to get drunk, but in their line of work there were times when it was the only thing they could do to move past the close calls or the times things had gone south. She had no idea what he put in the awful tasting drink, she was always too drunk or too tired to care, but it worked. And while she didn't always wake up feeling 100% the next day, it did at least enable her to function without killing anyone.

A sound from somewhere in the distance drew Mary out of her reverie. As she lay there next to Marshall in the morning light, she studied his face. She realized that she had been looking at him almost every day for four years, but she hadn't really seen him. She took her hand and lightly traced the tip of her middle finger down the bridge of his nose, then along his cheekbone and finally over his jawbone. She stopped when she reached his chin and regarded his lips, unaware of the fact that she was licking her own. Her actions obviously help to rouse him because she felt his leg start to move and stretch under hers. She quickly closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

Mary steadied her breathing and stayed still for what seemed like hours, wondering if Marshall was awake. Her answer came when she felt him brush her hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear, in the same way he had the night before. Even though his touch took her off guard, she willed herself not to move and refused to open her eyes for fear of finding him staring back at her. She knew that something was happening between her and Marshall, but she wasn't ready to face it, especially not while she was lying so close to him. Internally, she began rationalizing that it was all just a result of her breaking up with Raph and seeing Marshall so vulnerable these past few days. Those thoughts were interrupted when she felt Marshall slowly climb out of bed.

Immediately, she missed his warmth. After hearing the door shut, she wrapped herself more tightly in the covers and pulled his pillow close. She didn't want to rush out right behind him, so she decided to wait a few minutes. But as she snuggled further into his pillow, she felt her body relax, and she drifted off to sleep again. When Mary finally dragged herself out of bed an hour later, she walked into the kitchen to the smell of coffee, but a cursory inspection revealed that the house was surprisingly still.

***

Marshall had allowed himself an extra cup of coffee, but had declined breakfast. Even the disappointment on his mother's face couldn't make him eat. His lack of appetite wasn't caused by a hangover, though. He actually felt great. Better than great and that was what had him so on edge. He was waiting for the bottom to drop out, for fate to intervene, for something to go wrong, because that was how it always worked; he wouldn't be allowed to feel this good for long. Normally, he tried not to be pessimistic or negative, but that wasn't the case when it came to Mary. That amazing feeling he had waking up so close to her, feeling her against him, it wasn't real. It was just like all the other times he had been given a small glimpse of what could be, only to have it pulled away and it was getting harder to deal with it as time went on.

His mother had asked to take Matty with her on her morning walk, so Marshall used that as an opportunity to go out by himself for awhile. He got in the truck and drove. After about a half an hour, he knew he had made a mistake. Being alone with his thoughts was the last thing he needed because she was the only thing on his mind. He finally pulled into a shopping center and headed into the store to get beer to replace what they had consumed the night before.

When he got back in the truck, he headed toward his parent's place. As he drove, he thought about how he was acting and that only served to annoy him. He had no right to sulk about what was not going to happen with Mary when he didn't have the balls to step up and say anything to her. He was the one too afraid to lose her completely and had consciously made the decision not to derail the balance they had found in their partnership.

He left the truck only part way down the drive and made his way on foot through the woods toward the river. He chastised himself, "Mary's right, you're such a girl sometimes." But his chuckle never left his throat because he froze at the sound of the safety of a gun being released.

"Marshall, is that you?" He heard the familiar voice from about 20 feet away.

"Yes, it's me. Who the hell did you think it was and why are you carrying that god damn gun?"

"Don't you speak to me that way, son. I know you were raised better than that," Robert Mann said.

"Well, maybe I wouldn't speak to you that way if you weren't aiming a gun at my head," Marshall replied in complete shock. 'What the fuck is going on?' he screamed inside his head. He was convinced his father had gone completely insane. 'Maybe that's the reason he is the way he is. Maybe he's been slowly losing his mind all these years and we just didn't realize it.' Marshall turned and closed the distance between him and his father as he watched his father holster the weapon. "It's not hunting season, Dad, and that is no rifle. Who did you think I was? What if I were Mom?"

"I know your mother's step and stride. I knew it wasn't her. I would never make that mistake."

"Does she know you're carrying that thing out here?"

"Don't you worry about your mother."

"Seriously?" Marshall questioned as he set the beer on the ground, unable to stifle the laugh that came out at the same time. "Well, than there better be a pretty good explanation about all this."

"A man has a right to protect himself and his family."

"Don't hand me that line of bullshit. I'm a Marshal too, or have you forgotten? I know I'm not high on you list of priorities, but I'd have thought you'd at least remember that much." Marshall voice was almost a whisper by the time he finished and he was staring at the ground. He cursed himself for still feeling like he needed his father's approval. Sometimes, he envied Mary and the fact that her father was gone. She didn't have to spend everyday trying to prove herself, but then he quickly banished that thought from his head. He knew that Mary spent every minute of her life trying to live up to the expectations of a man that had left her alone at the age of seven. He just couldn't figure out which was worse; not knowing if you met you're dad's expectations or knowing that you hadn't.

"I've never been more proud of anyone, Marshall. Don't ever doubt that. And doing what you do, I know you understand what it takes to protect people, especially those you care about," Mr. Mann said with conviction. Then, his tone changed and he said with growing urgency, "I know your mother asked you to come, but she shouldn't have. I know what you do for the Marshal Service and I know that your partner doesn't have a nephew. You shouldn't have brought him here and it may be best if you all went back to Albuquerque."

"What do you mean, you know?" Marshall demanded. His head was now spinning at the idea that his father had been using whatever contacts he may have left to keep tabs on him. He didn't know whether to be happy or furious. He tried to take deep breaths to steady himself and said, "Dad, I think you better start explaining some things to me."

"I can't. It's better this way. It has to be this way," Robert said, trying to convince himself more than his son.

"Fine. We'll be gone in the morning," Marshall said turning from his father. He paused before walking away and said, "I know you wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt Mom, but I'm telling you right now, I will make sure she's protected. I'll come and take her back to New Mexico myself, if that's what it takes." With that, he headed for the truck and never looked back.

"Marshall!" Robert yelled after his son, but he knew it was too late. He could only look on in grief as he watched his first born son walk out of his life. This time the pain from the loss was made worse by the guilt that came with the knowledge that he could have prevented it.

***

After helping herself to a cup of coffee, Mary went upstairs to shower and change. She had just finished dressing when she looked out the window and realized the SUV was gone. As she wondered where Marshall was, her attention was drawn to the pictures on the dresser. She had glanced at them the day before, but hadn't had a chance to really look at them. There was a school picture of a skinny boy about age 10 with braces that she could tell was her partner and she smiled. Next to that was another picture of the same boy, a couple of years older, sitting with a toddler in his lap. There were pictures of the entire Mann family that spanned the years of Marshall's childhood. The ones that touched her the most were the ones of the two boys. Marshall looked so happy and proud, and it tugged at her heart to know the pain that his brother's death had caused him. She didn't realize the tears that were threatening to spill over until she heard a noise behind her and turned to find Margaret in the doorway with Matty.

"I'm sorry," Margaret said as she entered the room, "I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to grab a couple of Matty's toys."

Mary turned back to the photos and wiped away the tears before facing Margaret again and saying, "Don't be silly. This is your house. I didn't know where everyone had gone."

"I took Matty with me for a walk this morning. I believe Robert is down by the river, but I'm not sure where Marshall is." She had seen Mary looking at the pictures and said, "That one is my favorite, the one where Marshall is holding Mikey. It was right before we found out how sick Mikey was. I assume you know about Mikey. Marshall doesn't usually talk about his brother, but I see how close you two are."

Mary just nodded in response, not really wanting to admit that Marshall had only recently divulged the information to her. "He was a cute baby. I can tell that Marshall loved him very much."

"They both loved each other very much and Marshall gave up a lot for Mikey. He turned down several scholarships to Ivy League schools in order to stay home and be with his brother. I don't think he regrets it though."

"No. He doesn't," Mary said confidently, "Marshall would never have forgiven himself if he wasn't there with his brother at the end."

Margaret just smiled and didn't say anything. Mary had just confirmed how well she knew her son and it made her happy to know he had such a person in his life.

"What about this one?" Mary asked picking up a photo from the back and studying it. The little boy's face was lit up as he reached for his father and she never could have imagined Robert Mann capable of the grin he had for his son that day.

"You probably don't believe it's the same people that you know, but Marshall and his dad didn't always have the relationship they have now. Marshall was everything to Robert, and that didn't change when Mikey was born. Even after Mikey was born, Robert still did all typical father/son things that he had done before with Marshall and as Mikey got older, they made sure to include him. It was only after Mikey got sick that things started to change. We were all so focused on being so strong for Mikey that we…" Margaret's voice trailed off as her emotions started to get the better of her.

Mary was trying to think of what to say to comfort her, when her cell phone rang. She knew who it was without even having to look. "Where are you?"

"I'll be at the house in five minutes. Get Matty and meet me at the truck." That was all Marshall said before he disconnected and she could tell by his voice that something was wrong.

"I'm sorry, Margaret, but we have to get downstairs to meet Marshall. Can I get you anything before I go?" Mary asked sincerely.

"No. I'm fine, dear," Margaret said, but she could tell that Mary didn't believe that. "Really, I'm fine. Go and have fun."

***

They had been driving for 15 minutes and still neither one of them had spoken. Mary could tell by his grip on the steering wheel and how his jaw was set tight that something had happened to upset him. Considering where they were, she assumed it was probably something to do with his father, but she kept quiet. She looked out the window and waited. Finally, she could no longer take the silence. "So, where are we going?"

"Canon City," Marshall answered without further explanation.

"Oookay, Canon City it is," Mary said, growing more concerned. "Any particular reason?"

"No!" he snapped back. He saw Mary turn to look at him and realized what he'd done. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap to you."

"Well, you did," she barked back. "I've kept my mouth shut waiting for you to tell me what the hell is bothering you and now, I'm done. So, either tell me what's got you so worked up or let me out of the god damn truck."

"I just…I mean, he just…"

"Jesus, now, you're speechless. Figures!" Mary hollered throwing her arms up in defeat.

"Can we please just go to town and try not to think about anything else for a little while?" Marshall pleaded.

She could hear the strain in his voice and really didn't want to add to it by fighting with him. "Okay, but at some point we are going to talk about this."

After having some breakfast at a small café on Main Street, they walked slowly through the town. While the whole Mayberry vibe wasn't really Mary's thing, she had to admit that the place was interesting. It was like being thrown back in time. And while she wouldn't want to be stuck there for too long, a short stay she could deal with.

Marshall had relaxed while they ate. They bickered as usual and he fussed over Matty. As they walked, she had hoped he would finally tell her what was bothering him, but instead he spouted out more historical information about the city and it's gold rush glory days. She was getting frustrated and about to lay into him, when his cell rang. She saw him physically tense again as he looked at the screen.

"Hi, Mom."

'_Mom_,' Mary thought, 'What the hell happened this morning that he's stressed about a call from his mother?' Things between he and his mother seemed good since they had arrived and Mary was really starting to get annoyed about being kept in the dark.

"Just a minute," he said into the phone. Then he turned to Mary and said, "Do you mind giving me a minute?" He could tell by the glare that she gave in response that she did.

"I don't know what the hell is going on, Marshall…"

"Look, I know and I'm sorry," he said, interrupting her. "Just take Matty over to the park and I'll meet you there in a few minutes. Then we'll talk. I promise."

Mary eyed him up and down warily. In the end, she knew he didn't make promises that he didn't keep and she needed a few minutes to plan a strategy for getting to the bottom of the situation, so she gave in.

"Fine, but don't think for one second that I won't beat it out of you if I have to."

"That's my girl," he said forcing a smile.

Mary mumbled something unintelligible as she walked away with the stroller and was still talking under her breath when she arrived at the park. Not wanting to take any chance of missing Marshall, she sat down on the first bench they came to and picked up Matty. She placed him on her knee and started discussing what to do about the situation.

"So what do you think, Giggles? I personally think we should just beat it out of him." Matty started laughing as Mary spoke to him. "Oh, you think that's funny," Mary said as she started to tickle him.

"He's beautiful."

Mary jumped at the sound of the deep, raspy voice next to her and immediately pulled Matty to her, protectively. She turned to her right to see a man with dangerous, dark eyes and graying hair staring back at her. Alarm bells went off and something in her gut was telling her to be on alert. She instinctively moved Matty so that he was out of the man's reach.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," the man said, but Mary didn't think it sounded like an apology.

"Not a problem," Mary replied as she stood up.

"Please don't leave on my account. How old is your son? He really is a beautiful boy."

His words registered in Mary's head and she didn't correct him. "Thank you. He's almost 8 months," she said, trying to calculate what Matty's birth date should be in order to be able to back up her story if pressed.

"Well, if you don't mind my saying, you look wonderful for a new mother," the man said eyeing Mary in a way she definitely did not like.

"Yeah, well, I work out," she replied in a less than friendly manner as she moved to put Matty in the stroller.

"My name is Joseph Reynolds. I've never seen you around here before. Are you just visiting our lovely city?"

"Yes. We're staying with some relations in the area. We'll be heading home soon." Mary was doing everything to dissuade further conversation, but it wasn't working.

"That's a shame you won't be here longer. It must be difficult travelling alone with a baby."

"Why do you assume we are travelling alone?" she asked, not hiding her annoyance at this point.

"I don't see a wedding ring. I just assumed."

"Now, Mr. Reynolds, didn't anyone ever tell you what happens when you make assumptions."

"Ha! Good one, Ms…I'm sorry, I don't know your name."

"That's because I didn't tell you my name."

"You are a feisty one, aren't you? I like that."

Mary was just about to give Mr. Reynolds a piece of her mind when she saw Marshall approaching out of the corner of her eye. She saw his pace quicken as he took in the situation in front of him and he moved to stand next to her, defensively.

"Mary," Marshall said as he took in the gentleman sitting on the bench, "is everything okay?" It was at that moment that something clicked in Mary's head. Marshall could see the change in her face and wondered what she was up to.

She wrapped her arm around his waist and leaned into him, kissing him on the lips. "What took you so long, honey? See, Matty, I told you Daddy would be right back."

Mary saw Marshall's eyes go wide and had felt him jerk slightly in reaction to the kiss. She increased the pressure of her arm around his waist and looked directly at him, silently urging him to follow her lead. She caught the gleam of recognition in his eyes as he put his arm around her shoulder in response.

"Sorry, cupcake," Marshall said with a devilish grin as he wholeheartedly joined in her little game. "I didn't think it would take so long." Marshall struggled to stifle his laugh as he watched Mary's face in reaction to the pet name, but he recovered quickly fully aware that he would pay for it later. "So, are you going to introduce me to you friend?"

"Oh, yes. This is Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds, this is my husband, Marshall Miller."

**Okay, what do you think? Maybe not as much fun as the last chapter, but are you intrigued? Push the button below and weigh in while I work on trying to get you another update this week.**


	22. Strangers in the Light

**A/N: Just have to tell everyone who loves Marshall and his pj's to get to Old Navy this week. I'm sitting all comfy in my new bright, mustard yellow with rainbow deer pajama bottoms and feeling inspired. Thank you to my beta, sfchemist. Now, let the adventure continue…**

Previously…

"_Oh, yes. This is Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds, this is my husband, Marshall Miller." _

**Ch. 22: Strangers in the Light**

"Please, call me Joseph," the man said, holding his hand out to Marshall, who held back a second while he committed the man's face to memory. Only then, did he remove his arm from Mary's shoulders and offer it in response. Mr. Reynolds didn't seem to notice his hesitation and continued, "I was just chatting with your lovely wife. I hope you don't mind?" He smiled her direction and it was made her uneasy.

"Of course not," Marshall said with a faint smile as he fought the urge to say otherwise. He was also trying to remember to keep his left hand in his pocket because he had no wedding ring on, and something told Marshall that this man would take notice. There was definitely something off and he now understood the reason for Mary's deception. He also didn't like the way the Mr. Reynolds looked at Mary, so he put his right arm around her once more and let his hand come to rest on her hip as he pulled her closer to him.

"She just informed me that you will be leaving for home soon. I hope you'll at least be staying with us long enough to take in some the sights. Have you seen the Gorge yet?"

"We're leaving tomorrow," Marshall offered. He felt Mary shift slightly and knew her eyes were on him. They still hadn't spoken about what happened this morning with his father and she had no idea he had decided they were leaving. He was not looking forward to the conversation to come later and avoided her gaze now. Instead, he kept his arm firmly in place on her hip and added, "I have to get back to Arizona, work calls."

"And what is it exactly you do, Mr. Miller?"

"I work with computers," Marshall blurted out. "Technical stuff, I won't bore you with it."

"Not boring at all. Actually, it's a shame you are going to be leaving us so soon," Joseph spoke to Marshall, but his eyes stayed focused on Mary and she didn't like it. Neither did Marshall. "I would have liked to get your opinion on our new operating system at the hotel."

Mary was now approaching her breaking point. The feeling she had waking up with Marshall earlier that morning now seemed as if it had been a dream. Between Joseph Reynolds eyes on her and Marshall's grip, she began to feel trapped and her breathing became ragged. She struggled to free herself and Marshall knew instinctively that she was about to blow.

"What hotel is that, Joseph?" Marshall asked in a louder voice than normal in order to draw their companion's attention away from Mary.

"The Villa at Canon City. We just recently opened and are still working through some glitches."

"Well, I'm sure you'll get it worked out. Now we really should get going," Marshall said as he turned toward Mary, who had her hand wrapped so tight around the stroller that her knuckles were white. "Are you ready, honey?"

She didn't say a word, but simply shot him a look that he couldn't quite read. It was somewhere between _get me the hell out of here _and _I am so going to kick your ass._ Either way, he knew it was time to go.

"Yes, I must be going as well," Joseph said, lost in thought.

Marshall noticed the odd tone in his speech, but was more concerned about Mary. He gently placed his hand over the one she had gripping the stroller and nodded for them to leave.

"Before you go," Joseph called to them, "I'd like to invite you join me at the hotel tonight. We're having a small celebration in honor of it's opening."

Marshall looked at Mary and rolled his eyes before facing Mr. Reynolds once more. "Thank you, but we have to get packed up and be on the road early tomorrow."

"Come now, there's no reason you shouldn't enjoy your last night." Joseph could see the determination in Marshall's eyes and decided not to push it. "Well, if you change your minds, the party starts at 8pm. And now, I must be going. Mrs. Miller," Joseph said, nodding his head in her direction with a smile that made her recoil slightly, "and Mr. Miller, it's been a pleasure. I hope we will meet again."

Mary and Marshall watched warily as the man walked passed them and toward town. They stood together, not saying anything, until they saw him disappear around a corner. Mary immediately pushed Marshall away with enough force that he had to step back to regain his balance.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"What? What? Are you freakin' kidding me, Marshall? Where the hell do I start?"

"Calm down and breathe," Marshall said placing his hands on her shoulders.

She immediately pushed his arms away and his hands fell to his sides. She didn't look at him as she began to pace back and forth across the sidewalk. "Don't tell me to calm down and I'll god damn breathe when I feel like it," she snapped at him.

He took a step back, with his arms crossed in front of him and just waited patiently. He knew better than to interrupt one of her rampages. It was how she decompressed and dealt with stress when she couldn't physically take it out on whatever poor sap had the misfortune to cross her path at the wrong time. He preferred the tantrum. It was less messy.

"Can't anything ever be freaking easy?" she asked no one in particular. "Of course not! Never! Not once is it simple. First, there's this morning, the bed…and us" she said wide-eyed holding her hands up as if to push the thought away. Marshall let a small grin creep across his face, but banished it quickly as she continued, "Then, you disappear. Next, you show up all pissy and won't talk to me. Mr. "Psycho" Reynolds appears from nowhere and chats me up. And next thing I know, we're married and leaving tomorrow!"

She continued pacing, but her chest began to rise and fall more regularly as she took deep, even breaths. Marshall saw her shoulders relax. Then, finally, she stopped moving and turned to face him with her hands on her hips.

"What? No comments from the peanut gallery?" she asked sarcastically.

"That depends on if you're done or if I'm going to have to scrape the next poor schmuck that walks by off the sidewalk?"

"Only one that they're going to be scraping off the sidewalk is you, jackass, if you keep it up," she said in a more playful tone having calmed down enough to regain some self-control. She wasn't proud of her little outbursts, but she couldn't stop them. After what she called her "mental meltdown" as a result of the kidnapping incident, she was no longer able to keep things bottled up inside her after stressful situations. The episodes used to be violent until she inadvertently hit Marshall with her elbow when he tried to stop her from punching a brick wall and hurting herself. He had a black eye for over a week and the guilt still ate at her. Since that day, she's channeled the rage into verbal assaults that have kept the violence mostly at bay.

"That's my girl," Marshall said as he took a step closer. Then he leaned in and said in a low voice, "Now, let's get the hell out here and go find out just what our Mr. Reynolds is all about."

"You really know how to sweet talk a girl, don't you?" Mary said, smiling.

"You have no idea, Cupcake," he said over his shoulder as he quickly pushed the stroller ahead to escape the punch that he knew was aimed in his direction.

"You'd better run, Jackass!"

***

On the way back to his parent's house, Mary and Marshall compared the details of their encounter with Mr. Reynolds. In the end, they decided to call Eleanor and have her do a background check on him. They knew if there was anything to find, she would be the one to find it. After making the call, Mary put her phone away and stared at Marshall. He turned to see her looking at him and shifted in his seat. He began running through all the unresolved issues between them, trying to figure out which one she was going to bring up first.

"Don't think all this crap with Mr. Reynolds is going to change anything," Mary announced. "I still want to know what the hell happened this morning because somehow I get the feeling that you meant it when you said we are leaving tomorrow."

Marshall rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand and kept his eyes on the road. He knew he couldn't avoid the conversation, but even he couldn't really figure out what had happened with his father. There was obviously something going on that his dad didn't trust him enough to talk about and he was just sick of feeling that he was a constant disappointment to the man.

"I can see the wheels turning in your head. Stop over analyzing and spill it already," Mary said, impatiently.

"I just think it was mistake to come here."

"Fine, but you didn't answer my question."

"My dad pulled his gun on me this morning," Marshall blurted out quickly.

"What?" Mary said as his words raced around her head. "Jesus Christ, Marshall. What the hell happened and why the fuck am I just hearing about this now?"

"I'm sorry," he said as he finally looked over to meet her gaze.

She saw the hurt and confusion in his eyes and reminded herself to listen. 'This isn't about you, Mary. It's about him and he needs his friend. You can do this,' she told herself. She took a deep breath and said calmly, "Tell me what happened."

***

When they arrived at the house, Mary took Matty upstairs to get him changed while Marshall went in search of his mother. He found her sitting outside on the deck having tea.

"Hi, sweetie," his mom said with a smile as he walked over to her. "Where are Mary and Matty?"

"Upstairs. I'm sure they'll be down shortly."

"Did you have a nice morning?"

His lack of an answer caused Margaret to take a closer look at her son and she could tell he was troubled. She was about to inquire further when he finally spoke.

"Why did you want me to come visit? I mean, other than the fact that you wanted to see me. You keep hinting that there's something wrong with Dad, but you haven't come right out and said anything. I don't know how I'm supposed to help when no one trusts me enough to tell me what's going on."

"Marshall, honey," she said taking his hand in hers, "of course we trust you. We love you more than anything else in this world. What happened that's got you so upset?"

"No, don't speak for him. If you're going to say anything, let it be for yourself only. He had his chance to talk," Marshall said taking a deep breath to steady himself. "I think it's best if we just went home to Albuquerque."

"But you just got here!"

"I'm sorry, Mom. I'm glad to see you, but I can't stay here with him anymore. We'll see each other when you come to New Mexico next month. Maybe you could stay a little longer this trip and I'll try to take some extra time off."

"No! Enough. This has got to stop," Margaret said forcefully as she stood up, surprising her son. "I told him he was going to push you away. That stupid, stubborn man." She pulled her son into a hug and spoke more softly into his ear, "Please don't make any rash decisions. I'll tell you what I know, but go get Mary first. Then, I'll talk to you both." She pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes and asked, "Okay?"

Marshall was now more confused than ever, but he didn't really feel like he had much choice at this point and said, "Okay."

**Okay, I didn't get this out as quickly as I had hoped. It was a little shorter than the previous chapters, but the next section would have just made it too long. So, thanks for your patience and let me know your thoughts. I will make no promises, but will tell you I'm hard at work finishing up this story.**


	23. Mary had a Little Plan

**A/N: I told you I was hard at work. Thanks to sfchemist for her helpful comments and fast reading (any mistakes you find would be my own fault in editing).**

Ch. 23: Mary had a Little Plan

Mary jumped slightly at the squeal of the phone. She pulled it from her belt and looked at the screen.

_Eleanor_

'Damn,' she thought. The call from Eleanor was about the inquiry they had made into Mr. Joseph Reynolds and she really didn't want to ignore it after pressing for a quick response. She could tell that the conversation with Margaret was nearing an end, but she was wary of leaving Marshall's side.

When she glanced at him sitting next to her, she saw his eyes on the phone. She held the phone toward him so he could see who was calling, but indicated with her eyes that it could wait. He placed his hand on her arm and with simple look and nod of his head, he told her to take it. Reluctantly, she stood up and walked into the house, leaving them sitting on the deck.

"Marshall," Margaret said with concern in her voice as she watched Mary disappear inside, "I know you probably have even more questions than answers right now, and I'm sorry. I wish I could be of more help, but I'm asking you to please…please give him a chance and don't walk away. Your father always thought that he could handle everything on his own and that people would be safer that way. He had lost one son and it always terrified him that he could lose another."

"Mom, I just…" Marshall had started to say, but was unable to pull a complete thought from the chaos in his head. He stood up and walked to the railing of the deck, leaning on it as he looked out over the river.

His mother walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "He was so proud of you when you became a Marshal. In all these years, I've never seen him prouder than that day. But despite the badge, he still only saw the boy that was his son and not the man that you'd become. I tried to warn him that he would push you away, but he was convinced he was protecting you." She stood on her toes and leaned in to kiss her son on the cheek. "Think about how hard it would be to go from being the protector to the one that needed protecting. I love you, Marshall. And so does he, never doubt it."

When Mary walked back outside five minutes later, she found Marshall in the same position his mother had left him in. She noted Margaret's absence and the fact that Matty's pack 'n play was empty. She made her way over to her partner, thankful to his mom for giving them some time alone. She stood next to him and mirrored his position, following his line of sight to the river. They stood there together for a moment, watching silently, when Marshall reached over and placed his hand on top of hers. She opened it in response, allowing him access, and their fingers intertwined.

"What do you need?" Mary asked quietly.

"Tell me what Eleanor had to say," he responded calmly.

Mary turned to look him. He saw the movement from the corner of his eye and met her gaze. She studied his face for clues as to what he was really thinking. Her eyes asked him if he was sure, but she didn't need an answer. She was the queen of avoidance when it came to personal issues and could tell immediately that he was looking for something, anything to distract him while he tried to sort out his thoughts on another matter.

"Unfortunately, there's not much to tell. It seems Reynolds is a bit of a ghost. He's 60 years old, born in Chicago and never even had a driver's license issued, at least under that name."

"An alias?"

"That's what Eleanor thinks and I have to agree with her. She's still looking into it. I told her to start with The Villa at Canon City and see if she can track him through any of the business transactions," Mary said. "Maybe there's a partner or an associate that's not quite so good at staying under the radar."

Marshall didn't say anything, but the look he gave Mary before turning back toward the landscape conveyed he was in agreement with her about Reynolds. She knew she couldn't push him and would have to wait for him to initiate any further conversation. She also knew she couldn't stand still doing nothing for much longer, so she pulled on the hand he still had in hers and motioned for him to follow.

"Let's walk," was all she said as she led him down the stairs and toward the long driveway never letting go of his hand. She knew there was less chance of running into his father if they stayed away from the river, so she headed toward the road instead.

***

Eleanor had sensed that there was much more going on in Colorado than Mary was willing to share at the moment on the phone. Not knowing whether it was relevant to a case or not, she might have been tempted to take her time with her research, but there was something about how Mary had asked for, and not ordered, the information that motivated her inquiries.

At first glance, it appeared that Joseph Reynolds was just an average, law-abiding citizen. As she dug further into his life, she saw that the lack information available became more important than what she was able to find. Everything about his life was too structured. Taxes were paid on the same day ever year and always with the exact cost of living percentage increase each year. The firm he had supposedly worked for was now out of business and it was as if all the records of it had disappeared as well. His mailing address was a P.O. Box and he had no record of ever having a driver's license or credit card.

She called Mary to relay the information and tell her that she suspected that the name Joseph Reynolds was being used as an alias. Mary then had given her the name of the new hotel that Mr. Reynolds was involved with to see if she could find anything further about him or his business associates.

After pulling all the legal records for The Villa at Canon City, Eleanor decided to start with the names of the investors associated with the hotel. She was thankful to find there were only a few, three individuals and two holding companies. She eliminated the three individuals fairly quickly. They were all wealthy, private citizens in the Canon City, CO area. She shook her head as she thought about how easily some people let themselves be suckered in by a smooth talking businessman selling a dream.

Getting back to the task at hand, she concentrated on the holding companies. If anyone was trying to hide their personal interest in the hotel, that would be how they would do it. The first company listed was a conglomerate of Colorado banks that specialized in lending money to projects aimed at increasing tourism in the state. It only took two phone calls for Eleanor to confirm the legitimacy of the group.

As she began looking into the other holding company, she was beginning to think there was nothing to find and wondering about what other avenues she could use to find out about Reynolds. It took her awhile of digging through various agency and group names before she was finally able to pinpoint the individuals behind it all. The first name was Joseph Reynolds, just as she had expected it would be. The name of his partner was Michael Hartman.

The search into Hartman turned out to be similar to that of Reynolds and she knew right away that they were dealing with another alias. Just like with the other man, before turning to her various contacts that spanned the gamut of federal agencies, she punched the name into the WITSEC system.

This time, however, she got a hit.

***

Mary wasn't sure how long it had been since they left the house, but she knew that well over an hour had passed. They had wandered aimlessly through the woods between the Mann's house and the main road, or at least that's what she had thought until she looked up to see the house in front of her once more. Obviously, Marshall had known exactly where they were the entire time. He still held her hand loosely in his and had not let go once. More importantly, he still hadn't said a word either. Mary had never had to deal with this kind of silence from her partner and it was starting to be more than a little disconcerting.

As they made their way back up to the deck, Mary's phone rang. They stopped on the stairs as she reached for it and she nodded to him that it was Eleanor. He let go of her hand and sat down a few steps up from her as she answered the call.

"What do you have for us, Eleanor?" Mary said as she answered the phone knowing this was not the time for pleasantries.

Marshall put his elbows on his knees and listened to the one-sided conversation. He studied his partner and wondered whether things really were changing between them or if it was merely his imagination after waiting so long for some sign that there was still hope for him.

"You're sure," Mary said sounding more agitated. "You spoke to them directly?"

He saw the increase in her breathing and knew that Mary's instincts about Reynolds hadn't been wrong. There was something more, though. He had a feeling that whatever it was that Eleanor had told her was not something she had been expecting to hear.

"No, please. Can you just give us a little time? I need to fill Marshall in first. I'd consider it a personal favor, Eleanor."

Marshall jumped to his feet and was at attention the second he heard Mary say please. He couldn't imagine what information Eleanor had dug up that would make Mary respond in such a way. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"Thanks. If you don't hear from one of us within 30 minutes, call. If neither of us responds…" Mary hesitated slightly and Eleanor must have said something because she said, "Yes."

"God damn it!" Mary cursed as she ended the call. "We have to find your mom and Matty!" she shouted as she quickly pushed past Marshall and ran up the steps. She reached for her weapon as she called back to him. "Reynolds is connected to Harrison!"

Marshall had his gun in hand and was on her heels in less than half a second. They systematically searched the main floor of the house and finding no one, they made their way upstairs. Everything in the house seemed eerily quiet. Marshall was growing more and more concerned while he chastised himself for being preoccupied and not putting his job to protect Matty first.

At the top of the stairs, Mary looked back to signal her partner about their next move. She saw instantly that he wasn't 100% with her and she stopped in her tracks. Reaching her hand up, she pulled his face within inches of her own and whispered, "This is not your fault, Marshall. We don't even know that Reynolds has made the connection. Now get out of your head and back here with me." She let go, but didn't move and said, "I need you with me."

Something flashed in his eyes that she wasn't able to catch, but when he nodded in response she could see he was ready. They checked his parent's bedroom and the bathroom before moving down the hall toward the guestroom. The door was opened only a crack, so Mary took position on the opposite side of the doorframe from Marshall. Not wanting to alarm his mother, Marshall pushed the door open slowly and peered in. His mom was sitting in the chair by the window with a book and Matty was asleep in the portable crib.

Mary saw Marshall take a deep breath and she knew everything was fine, for now. They were both so relieved that they walked into the room while still holstering their weapons. It wasn't until they saw the worry on Margaret's face that they realized what they had done.

"What's wrong?" Margaret asked anxiously. "What happened?"

"Nothing, Mom, it's okay," Marshall said as he walked over and knelt by her chair.

"You two had your guns out in my house, that's not nothing," Margaret said in a low voice trying not to wake Matty, but she was over the initial shock of the situation and had moved on to anger. "Tell me what is going on."

"I'm not going to lie to you, Mom, but you know there are things I can't tell you about my job," He placed a hand over hers and continued, "You just need to trust me."

"Of course I trust you, but no matter how many years have passed it still doesn't get easier to watch the people I love have to face danger." She paused briefly as her eyes went from her son, to Mary and then finally settled on the small sleeping form in the crib. "What can I do to help? And don't say nothing. There is always something that can be done."

This time Mary spoke up and said, "Actually, Margaret, could you go downstairs and help Marshall get Matty's things together. I'll stay up here with him." Everything was happening so quickly that they hadn't had time to put a plan together. It really didn't matter though because Mary knew that they had to get Matty moved. She just wanted to give Marshall a little time alone with his mom before they had to bug out.

After they had left her alone, Mary began to pack up the suitcases while she ran through her encounter with Reynolds over and over again. No matter how hard she tried though, she could not pinpoint anything to make her believe that he knew who they were.

Not wanting to wake Matty before she had to, Mary sat down in the chair when she finished packing and waited for Marshall. If she had had any idea that this trip was going to turn into such nightmare, she never would have offered to help Margaret get Marshall here. But despite the situation they now found themselves in, she smiled as she thought about her partner and the time they had spent together by the river. Naturally, her thoughts progressed to earlier that morning and a mischievous grin replaced her smile as she thought about the many compromising positions…

"Where the hell did that come from?" she said as she jumped up from the chair and moved to the window.

"Where did what come from? Is someone there?" Marshall asked concerned, as he crossed the room quickly.

"Huh? Oh, no. I was just…never mind."

"Okay. Well, it's been almost thirty minutes, so we need to figure out a plan and call Eleanor."

"We're getting Matty out of here, obviously. Then, once we are well on our way, Eleanor can contact the local offices about Reynolds."

"Except for this stuff, everything else is already packed up in the truck. Take Matty and head back toward Albuquerque. I'll have Stan meet you half way."

"What the hell are you talking about? I don't need Stan to baby-sit me," Mary spat back before what he said had sunk in. Realizing what he meant she said jokingly, "That's what I have you for, Doofus."

Marshall looked at her, but didn't say anything because he knew she understood that he couldn't leave. There was the possibility that his father was in some kind of danger and regardless of the tension between them he couldn't walk away. He'd never forgive himself if something happened and he wasn't here.

"Fine," Mary said breaking the silence, "but there is no way in hell I'm leaving you here to deal with this on your own. I'm calling Eleanor and having her arrange a local team to come and get Matty."

"Mary, he knows us. We can't just leave him with strangers. He needs you there to make him feel safe."

"I don't like it either, but I'm not leaving you. Stan can bring Eleanor with him to meet them. Matty will be fine with her."

"We don't even know what's going here," Marshall pointed out. "It could be nothing. On the other hand, the situation with Harrison is a very real threat. And while we don't know what game Reynolds is playing, we can't take any chances. The witness comes first, you know that."

"Damn it, Marshall," Mary said crossing her arms in front of her and turning toward the window again.

He walked up behind her, put his hands on her shoulders and said, "I know." She leaned back against him and they stood there for a minute before breaking apart. "Let's get moving. You need to get on the road."

"Once I get Matty settled in with Eleanor, I'll be back."

"I'm counting on it," Marshall said as he smiled at her. "I'll take the suitcases down while you call her."

"Okay," Mary said as he left the room. She was about to reach for her phone when is started ringing. "Eleanor, this is the plan," she said as she explained that she was leaving with Matty, while Marshall was going to stay in order to follow up on Reynolds. After Eleanor tried several times to interrupt her, Mary had finally had enough and screamed into the phone, "For God's sake, what is it?"

Eleanor told Mary that the Portland office had finally been able to get a lead on Harrison and that they believed him to be in Colorado. They were in the process of coordinating a task force of several agencies and offices in order to bring him in.

"Jesus," Mary spat, "this gets better every second. So it's just a lead and they don't know his exact location?"

"Yes, but I don't know how long I can hold off with the information about Reynolds, Mary," Eleanor responded.

"Go ahead and forward the documents. Just take your time in faxing them. Is Stan in?"

"At the Courthouse, but he'll be back soon."

"Call me when he gets in. And thanks again, Eleanor," Mary said, hanging up the phone before the other woman had a chance to respond.

She was pacing a hole in the floor when Marshall returned. "What happened now?" he asked, knowing full well that he wasn't going to like the answer.

"Eleanor just saw an alert from Portland. They have a tip that Harrison's in Colorado."

"Damn it! That means every agency in the region is going to be moving in soon. We need to move, now! I'll follow you in my parent's car and make sure you don't have any tails leaving town."

"And then what are you going to do?"

"I'll figure it out. Right now, getting you and Matty out of here is the first priority. You need to get as much distance between you and Harrison as possible. I only hope this is another one of those impossible coincidences, because if Harrison already knows we're here…"

A new voice broke into their conversation, "Don't worry about Harrison, he's not here for you."

Mary and Marshall turned in unison to see Robert Mann standing in the doorway.

**Did you see that coming? Just exactly who is Harrison looking for and why? All your questions will hopefully be answered, but for now let me know what you think and push the button.**


	24. Try a Little Truthfulness

**A/N: My beta isn't a available for a few days, but I didn't want to make you wait for an update. So here it is and I take full responsibility for all errors! Now let's find out what the deal is with Marshall's dad...**

**Ch. 24: Try a Little Truthfulness**

Mary and Marshall looked at each other in disbelief before turning their attention back to Robert Mann.

"What do mean Harrison's not here for us?" Marshall asked while remaining painstakingly calm. He thought about his earlier conversation with his father and how he claimed to know about Marshall's job. "Regardless of whether or not you know what I do, you couldn't possibly know anything about the situation with Harrison."

"Wait a minute," Mary said in amazement as she started piecing things together. "What the hell do you mean he knows what you do? What we do?" Her annoyance was now evident in her voice.

"Did I forget to mention that part?" Marshall replied sheepishly to Mary. "He eluded to the fact that he knew what I did this morning."

"And you just forgot to tell me? Jesus Christ, Marshall!"

"I know, okay? And I'm sorry. But can we do this later? There are kind of more important matters to deal…"

"If you two would just stop bickering for five minutes, maybe I can explain," Robert interrupted.

The partners turned once again toward Robert and neither one of them were very happy.

"Look…" Mary started to say as she moved toward the man.

"Mare," Marshall said softly as he placed his hand gently on her arm. She turned and shot him a look, only to remember that it was his father and his call, for now, so she begrudgingly acquiesced.

"Dad, you need to tell us what's going on," Marshall ordered. "And I want to know everything. If for one second I think that you're holding out on us," he continued warning his father, "we will be out that door for good."

"I understand, Son," Robert replied as he sat down on the edge of the bed and motioned for them to sit as well.

Mary took a seat in the chair once more, while Marshall leaned against it. Both were a little bewildered and had all kinds of scenarios running through their heads as they each tried to figure out how Robert Mann could be involved with Michael Harrison. But the more they continued to think about it, the more incredible it seemed.

Except for the recent conversation with his son, Robert Mann was not one to be vague or beat around the bush. He told it like it was, whether or not people wanted to hear it, and he wasn't often at a loss for words when he had something to say. He took a deep breath and decided it was time to just lay it all out on the table.

"I killed Patrick Harrison, Michael Harrison's father," Robert said, watching his son's face for a reaction. He saw a change in Marshall's expression and knew that he was processing the information. When no one said anything, the older Mann continued, "It wasn't until after I shot him that I found out Michael was hiding near by and saw the entire thing. He was 11 years old."

"You killed Harrison's father," Marshall said slowly as he tried to comprehend the irony of the situation, "and now we are protecting his son."

"Marshall!" Mary snapped when she heard him openly reveal Matty's identity, but she was cut off from making further comment.

"Matty is Michael's son?" Robert questioned. "Well, I guess I shouldn't be that surprised. I was wondering why you two would have an interest in Harrison's whereabouts. Of course, this does complicate things even more."

"Ya' think?" Mary said sarcastically as she stood and turned to Marshall. "Can we just rewind the conversation for a second to the part where you just compromised the identity of the person we are supposed to be protecting? Have you lost your mind?"

"I'm starting to think that maybe I have," Marshall said quietly.

"Don't blame my son for this situation," Robert interjected now standing opposite of Mary. "I would have found out either way. I knew that baby wasn't your nephew because your sister Brandi doesn't have any kids. Matty may be too young to be a witness, but they wouldn't have placed him in WITSEC unless his identity needed to be protected."

"What the hell? How do you know anything about my sister? Did you do a background check on me? How dare you! You're retired and have no right…"

"Alright. Enough." Marshall said sternly stepping between his partner and his father. "Standing here all day fighting is not going to help us figure out what to do about Harrison. Now will you both sit back down."

Mary and Robert eyed each other warily as they took their seats.

"Thank you. Now, Dad, I'm still confused and we're running out of time. Are you telling us that Michael Harrison is here to revenge his father's death? I mean, after all these years, why now?"

"We'll have to discuss the details of the past later on because as you pointed out, there's no time now. As far as Harrison, I have no doubt he's here for me," Robert Mann said confidently. "It was 1989 and it was supposed to be the biggest drug deal to go down in the Pacific Northwest. I was part of the multi-agency task force created to bring down the key players, but it went sideways."

Mary watched as he sighed and ran a hand through his hair before continuing. She recognized the body language and it was the first time since they arrived that she saw a resemblance between the two men in the room.

"Someone panicked and pulled the trigger. We never figured out if it was one of ours or one of theirs, but it got ugly. My partner had gone after Patrick Harrison and by the time I caught up to them, Harrison had my partner kneeling on the ground and a gun to his head. I warned him, twice, to drop it. I will never forget the look on his face, as he pulled out the second weapon. I took out his leg and he stumbled back unable to shoot my partner. But as soon as he recovered, he aimed at me. I had no choice but to take him down."

Robert was lost in his own reverie for a moment before he said, "I didn't know the boy was in the car across the lot, if I did…I don't know, but the next thing I knew he was out of the car and racing toward us screaming for his father. I had to grab him as he clawed at me and pull him to safety because the situation wasn't under control. Two agents heard his cries and as they carried him away, the look in his eyes was one to rival that his father. I couldn't believe a look like that could be on the face of boy. I knew then that one day he would make someone pay for the death of his father."

Marshall and Mary sat silently for a moment, each contemplating what Robert had just disclosed to them. They both knew entirely too well the look he had mentioned and couldn't imagine what it was like to live each day with the image of that look on the face of an 11 year old.

***

When Mary walked into the room, Marshall forgot to breathe for a moment. She was wearing a simple, black dress that fell to just below the knee. The scoop neckline revealed enough to be distracting, while still remaining tasteful. Her hair was down and soft, blonde curls danced around her shoulders. Margaret watched her son's response to his partner from the kitchen and was glad she had taken the extra time to help Mary get ready.

"What are you gawking at, Doofus?" Mary said trying to sound annoyed after noticing the expression on her partner's face. But while her words said one thing, she was secretly happy about the fact that her appearance made Marshall speechless. It wasn't until she took a good look at him that she felt a small flutter inside her that she had never experienced before.

"Huh?" was all Marshall could get out at first, but then he managed to pull himself together enough to form a sentence and he whispered, "You look beautiful, Mary."

"Thanks," she replied self-consciously. Recovering, she added, "You don't look half bad yourself, Cowboy. Now, mount up. Time to head to Dodge."

As Mary walked past him toward the door, he went weak in the knees and almost stumbled. The black dress also scooped in the back, exposing her flesh all the way down to her waist.

Despite being concerned for their safety, Margaret couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face as she watched the pair walk out the door.

"So, what's the plan?" Mary asked as Marshall pointed the SUV toward Canon City.

"We keep up the Mr. and Mrs. Miller scenario," he replied trying to hide his small grin from Mary, "and play along with Reynolds. Now that we know he's in bed with Harrison, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out if he's made us or not."

"Seems like everyone is ending up in bed together these days," Mary mumbled to herself.

"What?" Marshall questioned, unable to decipher her entire comment, but positive he had heard the word bed escape her lips.

"Nothing. I was just asking if the backup team was in place. You made sure they know exactly what to do, right?"

"Yes, I even gave them a pop quiz."

"Very funny, Asswipe," Mary said as she nervously touched the dress and shifted in her seat.

"You really do look beautiful."

Mary couldn't stop the pink that spread across her face and she was glad for the camouflage the colors of the setting sun gave her. "It's a good thing your mother and I are about the same size."

"That's my mother's dress!" he blurted out, but he was unable to imagine his mother wearing such a dress. 'Thank you, God,' he thought to himself, 'because my mom is not who I want to think about when I remember that dress.'

"Hey, Pervis!" Mary teased, assuming he was having a Freudian moment and punching him in the arm. "Watch the road."

Marshall just shook his head, refusing to get coaxed into a discussion about Freud, and he focused on the road for the remainder of the drive.

After pulling up to the valet at the hotel entrance, Marshall made his way around the SUV and offered his hand to Mary as she climbed out. Remembering their roles for the evening, she accepted it without comment and he continued to hold her hand as they walked into the lobby.

As they walked, she felt something strange against her finger and lifted their hands to look. There, on his left hand, she noticed a plain, gold band on the fourth finger. She knew he was watching her and returned his gaze with a questioning look.

"It's my grandfather's," he said in response to her unspoken question. "My mom let me borrow it. I mean, we are supposed to be married after all." He saw her glance down at the bare finger on her left hand and watched as her lips curled into a small pout. "You told me Reynolds noticed that you didn't have a ring, so I'm sure he'd notice if one magically appeared now. I made sure he never saw my hand."

She nodded in acknowledgement, but her expression didn't change and it made his heart skip a beat. The fact that she wanted a ring to symbolize their marriage, even if it was a fake one, gave him hope that maybe there was a chance for them as something more than just partners.

They were directed to the ballroom and as they navigated their way through the guests lingering about the lobby, Mary seemed taken aback by the number of people that took notice of them. She whispered to Marshall, "Why is everyone staring at us?"

"Not staring," he responded stifling a laugh, "admiring." He knew Mary was aware of her looks and would often use them to get what she wanted from people, but what he also knew was that she had no idea just how beautiful she was and it was one of the many things he loved about her.

Stepping into the ballroom, Mary was glad that they had decided to dress for the event. The room was filled with people in evening dresses and well-tailored suits. There was table in front of them with a large ice sculpture and waiters with white gloves were holding trays filled with champagne flutes.

"So this is what Reynolds considers a small celebration?" Marshall asked sarcastically, eliciting a snort from Mary.

"There's got to be at least 200 people here," she replied as she scanned the room. Then she turned to Marshall and added quietly, "If we're lucky, maybe Reynolds won't even notice us." He smiled in response, but it was short lived. Suddenly, his eyes darkened and she watched his expression grow serious. Before she could question him, he let go of her hand and wrapped his arm protectively around her waist.

"Why Mr. and Mrs. Miller, I'm so glad you decided to join us this evening," an unmistakable voice bellowed from behind her and she rolled her eyes before turning to face their host.

"Thank you for the invitation, Joseph," Marshall said politely. "We decided that you were right and we shouldn't leave town before taking some time to enjoy ourselves first."

"Well, I am so glad that you changed your minds and welcome," Joseph said holding out his hand to Marshall, who accepted it. Then he turned to Mary and took her hand in his as he said, "And Mrs. Miller, may I just say how absolutely lovely you look this evening." He then proceeded to lift her hand to his lips.

Marshall felt Mary's entire body get tense and he was afraid she'd lash out at Reynolds, either physically or verbally, so he removed his arm from around her waist and gently placed his fingertips on her bare back. He began to slowly caress her smooth skin and instantly, he felt her shiver. She turned to him, surprised, and he held her gaze just long enough for Reynolds to release her hand. Then, they both directed their attention to their host once more.

'What the hell was that?' Mary questioned herself, feeling a little off balance after Marshall touching her that way. But before she could dwell on the thought, she was snapped back to reality when she felt Marshall's hand pressed supportively against her back. She realized Reynolds was waiting for some kind of response and she forced herself to say, "Thank you, Joseph. The hotel is beautiful and this is quite a gathering. We appreciate you including us."

"Believe me, the pleasure is all mine," he replied, once again looking at Mary in a way that made her skin crawl. "Now, if you'll excuse me, there is something that requires my immediate attention. Please enjoy yourselves and I hope we will have the pleasure of speaking again later."

From the corner of her eye, Mary saw Marshall nod in response and she forced a polite smile. When she was sure that Joseph could no longer see or hear them, she finally let herself relax and she leaned back into Marshall. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her.

"Jesus, that man gives me the creeps. The way he looks at me and how he talks! I mean, who the hell talks like that, Marshall?"

The feel of her pressed against him was preventing him from being able to put a complete thought together and he chastised himself, 'You are working here, Mann. Now get your shit together.'

"What? No lecture on linguistics or pop culture reference?" Mary questioned sarcastically when her partner failed to respond to her comments.

"How about I just agree with you that he's creepy, and we'll leave it at that?" Marshall suggested stepping back from her slightly, but leaving an arm supportively around her shoulders.

"Um, okay," Mary agreed as she noted her partner's odd behavior. "Well, as much as I'd love to avoid our host, he's kind of the reason we're here. So, now what?"

"Well, it's a party," Marshall said perking up, "We eat, we drink, we mingle. And we have at least one eye on Reynolds the entire time."

**...Does everyone feel a little better now that some questions are being answered? Push the button and let me know.**


	25. Dangerous Liaisons

**Ch. 25: Dangerous Liaisons**

The music swirled around Mary as she swayed gently in Marshall's arms.

He had led her to the dance floor as part of their cover and to save her from having to dance with Joseph Reynolds. When she had seen the target of their surveillance approaching them again, she had cringed. She was well aware of the fact that he was the key to them discovering any information about Harrison, but her plan was to do that through observation. The last thing she wanted was physical contact with the man and she made a mental note to thank her partner later for his swift intervention.

Now that they were safely ensconced among the dancing couples, she relaxed slightly and leaned into Marshall, her head coming to rest against his chin. She took a deep breath, inhaling his unmistakable scent, and lost all conscious thought for a moment. 'Wow,' she thought to herself, 'has he always smelled this good?' His hand was against her back and as she felt him begin to slowly caress the bare skin with his thumb, her mind came crashing back to reality.

'Jesus, Mary,' she cursed herself, 'You need to focus! Finding out about Harrison, that's why you're here. Not to play house with Marshall!' She hid the small frown that formed on her lips by burying her head even further into Marshall and her subconscious once again got the better of her. 'Okay, no playing house, but I wouldn't mind playing Doctor. I wonder how Marshall would look in a nurse's uniform?' Mary thought as a wicked grin replaced the frown. 'Bad Mary! Bad, bad Mary.'

Meanwhile, Marshall was smiling contently about their current circumstance. He hadn't intended to ask her to dance, not wanting to suffer the anticipated rejection, but when he had seen Reynolds approaching and sensed her apprehension, he had immediately guided her toward the music.

He was relieved when she relaxed into him and he couldn't believe how natural it felt to hold her in his arms. Trying to keep his attention on tracking Reynolds, he couldn't stop the smug look that formed on his face as he took in all the admiring looks and jealous stares from around the ballroom. Before he realized what he was doing, his thumb began lightly caressing her bare skin. As he became aware of his actions, he expected to feel her tense up or scold him in some manner, but was pleasantly surprised when he felt her nestle even closer to him.

'Oh God,' he thought, 'does she realize what she is doing to me?' He closed his eyes and reveled in the pleasure of the moment, wishing it could be under different circumstances. As he opened his eyes again and refocused on his surroundings, he spotted Reynolds across the room watching them. Marshall leaned down, burrowing his nose in her hair as he found her ear.

"Mary," he said a low, deep voice.

His tone, combined with the warm breath that tickled her ear, was enough to push Mary past the point of being able to speak and she merely nodded in response.

Letting go of her hand briefly, he reached up and pushed her hair behind her ear. Then he placed his fingertips on her shoulder and let them travel down her arm until he took her hand in his once more. He felt her shiver and relished at the idea that he was able to have such an effect on her.

"Mare," he whispered once more, letting his lips brush her cheek as he spoke.

She didn't reply this time either, but pulled back slightly and looked directly into his eyes as if searching for something. He met her gaze and thought about all the things he wanted to say to her when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see a very aggravated Reynolds retreating.

"C'mon," he said quietly as he took her hand and led her from the dance floor, "I think something's going on. I just saw Reynolds leave the room and he didn't look happy."

They moved to a spot near the side of the room that allowed for a good view of the door into which Reynolds had disappeared, their posture and closeness telling anyone that might be considering approaching to think twice. Marshall leaned against the wall and pulled Mary close to him, letting his hand rest on the small of her back while she placed her hands on his shoulders.

He reached up with his other hand and tenderly caressed her cheek as he bent his head and whispered, "He was watching us, you know, while we were dancing."

Mary smiled at his words in order to keep up their cover in front of any prying eyes. Then she lifted her hand to let her fingers run through his hair as she asked him, "Do you think he knows? I mean, why would he keep up the charade if he knew who we really are?"

"I don't know,' he said slowly as he enjoyed the feel of her fingers. "I honestly can't figure this one out and that's what scares me."

He knew his emotions were running high and he suspected hers were too. If they couldn't find a way to stay in control and focused, there would be trouble. But being so close to her in this way was intoxicating, like nothing he had ever experienced before and he wanted more.

She felt the hand that was on her back start to move it's way up slowly and finally come to rest on the back of her neck, guiding her closer to him. Their lips were almost touching when Mary looked at Marshall in surprise. As soon as their eyes met, the surprise was replaced by a daring glare and small chuckle escaped from Marshall's throat as he watched the rapid change in her expression.

"Are you challenging me, Mrs. Miller?" he asked as he leaned in close letting his cheek brush against hers as he spoke.

"Do you think you're up for it, Mr. Miller?" she questioned in a low and sultry voice as she slid her hands under his jacket and around his waist, letting them come to rest on his buttocks.

"This is a dangerous game, Mary," Marshall warned as his mind began to reel and he leaned down to place a soft kiss on collarbone.

"Who said anything about this being a game?" she asked in a soft, yet serious tone as she responded to his kiss by placing her lips on his neck.

Her question caused Marshall to pull back and study her face, hoping to see something that would indicate whether or not she was really being serious.

Mary was confused by his sudden withdrawal from her touch until she saw him studying her closely, looking for some sign of truth in what she had just said to him. Her features softened and she smiled in response to his inquiry. He immediately drew her close once more, placing a kiss on her shoulder as he held her to him.

Marshall then pressed one small kiss after another as his lips slowly made their way up her neck, building toward a moment he had imagined more times than he would ever be willing to admit, especially to Mary. As he brushed her hair from her shoulder, he glanced up to make sure Reynolds hadn't returned and froze.

"What?" Mary asked, her gut telling her that she was not going to like the answer.

"Harrison," Marshall said, suddenly very alert. "Harrison is here."

"God damn it," Mary cursed under her breath as she grabbed Marshall by the collar and pulled him to her.

"What are y..." Marshall began, but was cut off as Mary's lips came crashing against his and his head was suddenly filled with images from that damn stable where they had found Trina. This time, though, it was different. Mary was the one kissing him and not pulling away.

She felt his body tense at the initial shock of her kiss and was worried he'd pull away. She released his collar and let her hands wander under his jacket once more as she traced smaller kisses along his jawbone until she reached his ear.

"I don't think anyone watching would be surprised if Mr. and Mrs. Miller called it a night," she whispered, not being able to resist nibbling on his earlobe and smiling at the shudder she felt run through him. "Now kiss me, Marshall, and then let's get out of here."

Finding it hard to believe that she had said his name with such desire, he put his hand on her chin and lifted her face so he could look into her eyes. She unknowingly licked her lips as she smiled back at him and watched his want and need chase away any lingering doubt.

He leaned down to kiss her and as his lips brushed lightly against hers, she found herself totally unprepared for the amount of emotion that surged through her body. He continued to press his lips softly to hers and she trembled, thankful for the firmness of his hand on her back. Feeling him start to deepen the kiss, she parted her lips to allow him access and was not disappointed as their tongues met eagerly while the world around them seemed to fade away.

As applause began to echo throughout the room, the partners broke away from each other and faced the crowd. With flush faces and breathing heavily, they scanned the room for clues as to what they had missed and as a means of avoiding each other. Spotting Reynolds moving away from the bandstand, smiling and acknowledging various people in the crowd, it was apparent there had been an announcement or speech of some kind.

Mary felt Marshall's arm encircle her shoulders as he said, "I think this is a good time for us to skedaddle."

"Skedaddle?" Mary questioned sarcastically as she turned her head to look at him, but Marshall just shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

As he continued to escort her across the room, he became aware of the knowing glances and approving nods from the other guests. He grinned as he thought about their little display and wondered if Mary noticed the looks as well. Suddenly, he felt her arm wrap tightly around his waist and his grin faded as he noticed Reynolds approaching.

"Why Mr. and Mrs. Miller," Reynolds said walking up to them, "I trust you have been enjoying yourselves this evening."

"Yes. Thank you," Marshall replied politely despite the pain he felt from Mary's fingernails digging into his side.

"I was hoping to have the honor of a dance with Mrs. Miller."

"Oh, I'm afraid we were just leaving," Mary said as she leaned closer to Marshall. "But thank you for having us, we had a wonderful time."

"I don't suppose there is the possibility of you changing your minds."

"No. We really must be going," Marshall said with conviction. "Good night, Joseph, and thank you."

"Well, if that's the way it must be then I bid you both farewell," Reynolds said as he nodded at them and turned toward Harrison who was standing near the door.

Marshall quickly whisked Mary passed the two men and out the door, while offering an acknowledging smile and nod of the head as they left. Once outside the room and out of view, the partners stopped and separated. Each took a deep breath as their eyes met, knowing that the events of the evening were going to have to be revisited at some point in the near future.

Smiling reassuringly, Marshall offered his hand to Mary, but then quickly pulled it away.

"Hey!"

"Shh!" Marshall said putting a finger to his lips. Then, realizing how mad his partner was about to get he added in a whisper, "Sorry, it's just I think I can hear Reynolds and Harrison."

Glaring, she motioned toward the doorway from which they just emerged and moved toward the wall, pulling Marshall with her. Concerned about being caught eavesdropping, they once again intertwined in a very intimate position against the wall, but this time it was all professional as they tried to listen to the conversation taking place on the other side of the wall.

"_Have you found him?" asked an unrecognizable voice that they assumed was Harrison._

__

"Yeah, he's living along the river just north of town," Reynolds replied in a tone of voice much different than they were used to, but it was still unmistakably him.

_"Any problems?"_

_  
"No, our cover's safe," Reynolds said. Then he laughed and continued, "These rednecks don't suspect a thing."_

_  
"Good. Who's that tall guy that you were just talking to? He looks familiar."_

_  
"Nah, impossible. He's just some computer geek visiting from Arizona. I met his wife in the park and didn't realize she was married. Real feisty, that one. It's just too bad her hubby showed up when he did, if you know what I mean."_

"_Yeah, whatever, Uncle Joe," Harrison said in a voice that indicated he really wasn't interested in what Reynolds was saying. "Right now, I need to know that you have everything in place on your end. There can't be any screw ups!"_

"_Hey, Kid, has Uncle Joey ever let you down before?"_

Marshall removed his head from where it was buried in Mary's neck and put his mouth near her ear.

"Well, at least they don't suspect anything about us," he whispered.

"Yeah, but he's definitely here for your father," Mary replied quietly. "We need to get back, now."

***

As they pulled out of the hotel, Mary was not surprised when he turned in the opposite direction of his parent's house. Even though it appeared that their cover had not been blown, she knew he would want to make sure that they didn't have any unwanted company.

She immediately radioed in to confirm the back up teams were in place and made sure that they understood that the target had changed from Reynolds to Harrison. Once she was satisfied that everyone was on the same page, she turned her attention to Marshall.

"You know this is going to get really complicated, really fast," she pointed out as she focused on the task at hand, but well aware that she was stating the obvious about almost every aspect of their lives at the moment.

Marshall didn't have to ask what she was referring to because they had to push any other issues, other than protecting his father and Matty, aside for the time being. "Yeah, I figured we wouldn't be able to keep the situation quiet for long, but once the Feds get word that Harrison's been identified it's going to turn into a three ring circus," Marshall said as he raised a hand to his head and rubbed his forehead. He was worried and knew it was going to be a long night.

Mary saw him rubbing his forehead and studied him closer. The tension almost radiated off of him and she was beginning to be concerned. She didn't doubt his ability to do his job, but she, of all people, understood just how difficult it could be to do your job when it became personal and she didn't envy him his position right now.

"Are you okay?" she asked with her concern evident in her voice.

He nodded quickly in response, not turning to face her.

"Marshall, look at me," she beseeched him as she placed a hand on his forearm. "Now is not the time to get lost in that head of yours again. We'll handle this, together, like we always do."

He covered her hand with his and glanced at her quickly as he said, "I couldn't do this without you, Mare. You know that, right?"

She squeezed his arm and smiled mischievously as she replied, "Damn good thing, since you're stuck with me."

Then they both turned their attention to the road as Marshall doubled back and headed north.

***

**Thanks to sfchemist for reading through this and boosting my confidence. I hope it left you all wanting more. I probably won't update until the weekend, so Happy Holidays to all!**


	26. A Clip Off the Old Glock

**I apologize for the delay. I'd blame it on work and the holidays, but really this chapter just put up a big fight. Hopefully, you'll think it was worth the wait. **

**Ch. 26: A Clip Off the Old Glock**

The sounds of the summer night seemed amplified by 100 percent as they waited in the quiet darkness of the Mann house.

Mary and Marshall had returned from Reynold's party several hours earlier to find that Margaret and Matty had been moved as planned, but Robert Mann sat alone in his home with gun drawn, waiting.

After watching Marshall and his father argue to no end about the fact that Robert had not gone with his wife, Mary finally pulled Marshall aside. Despite the older Mann not exactly being on her good side, she knew that the men needed to focus and she was going to do whatever was necessary to make that happen.

"Marshall, this is getting us no where," she scolded him. "I understand you're concerned about him, but think about it. Your Dad is a Marshal, a retired one, but still a Marshal. Put yourself in his situation. Would you be willing to sit back and do nothing while your son put his life on the line for you?"

"I can't do it," he snapped, "I can't concentrate on doing my job if I have to worry about him."

"Why?"

"What?" Marshall asked incredulously.

"I asked you why does worrying about him keep you from doing your job?" Mary asked calmly. Seeing the shocked expression on his face at her question, she continued and took a new approach, "Do you worry about me?"

"Huh? What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Marshall questioned in response, shifting on his feet and looking away.

"I asked you a question, Marshall," she said impatiently, "Do. You. Worry. About. Me?"

When he refused to meet her eyes, she reached up and cupped his cheek as she said, "I worry about you too, but it doesn't stop me from doing my job and I know it doesn't stop you." She allowed herself to indulge in the warmth of his gaze before removing her hand and saying, "Now stop looking at your father and start seeing Chief Inspector Robert Mann."

"I know you're right," he said, "it's just…"

"No, it's not 'just' anything," Mary said in a soft, yet strong tone. "I have never once doubted your ability to do your job and you are not going to make me do it now. And just knowing that you're his son makes me believe that I can trust in your father's capabilities as well. Now let's get over there and come up with a game plan before it's too late."

"Okay," Marshall said as he stepped passed Mary and gently squeezed her hand before making his way back toward Robert. "Okay Chief, if we are going to do this, we are going to need a plan."

***

An hour had past since they each took their posts throughout the house. Mary knew that it wouldn't be dark for much longer and she was starting to wonder whether Harrison would make his move or not. She figured it was only logical that he would come quickly and not risk hanging around town too long with the possibility of being spotted. Of course, he had no idea that he had already been made and that the FBI would be crashing his little party tomorrow. She was lost in thought when she saw a flash in the woods.

"Marshall," Mary spoke into the radio, "any word from the hotel?"

"They say all is quiet. Haven't seen any sign of Harrison or Reynolds," he replied as something in his gut began to stir and he realized that there must be a reason for Mary's sudden curiosity. "Why? Is there something you'd care to share with the class?"

"Not just yet," she said in a controlled voice as she cautiously scanned the area to the west of the house from the window where she was perched. "But stay alert boys because something tells me we may be about to get some company."

"Mary, what did you see?" Marshall insisted.

"Not sure. Now, if you would just shut up for a second, maybe I could…there you are, you bastard!" Mary whispered triumphantly as she spotted the reflection from the lens of the night vision goggles. "I got one coming in from the west, he's about 10 yards out past the tree line and closing in. I can't tell if he's alone."

"Most probable point of entry from that position would be the garage," Robert reported, "bringing him up the inside stairs from the basement to the hallway near the kitchen."

"All over it," Marshall informed them.

"No! We don't know if he's got friends coming from another direction. You're our only eyes at that end of the house and need to stay put," Mary commanded. "I already know I have company and I'm gonna make sure he gets the welcome he deserves." She scooted out the bedroom door and toward the stairs, quiet as a feral cat preparing to pounce on her prey. After finding the basement door, she hunkered down just inside the kitchen and waited, Glock in hand.

Marshall knew it was fruitless to argue with Mary and tried to focus on the task at hand, comforted by the fact that he was only a few long strides from the kitchen if things started to go south. 'Stop worrying, Mann. Mary's right. We all have jobs to do and you've never let your emotions get the better of you before. Don't start now.'

The problem was that he'd been riding an emotional roller coaster for the past week, but particularly over the past 12 hours and it wasn't easy to down shift into neutral so quickly. As he squinted his eyes and surveyed the woods at the eastern end of the house, he began his habit of reciting facts in his head to squelch his emotions and sharpen his mind.

He had only made it to the letter F when he saw it. Smiling in appreciation of the pure poetry that letter brought to the situation, he reached for his radio.

"Another one coming in from the east," Marshall reported to the others.

"Only options are the front door or up the back steps to the deck," Robert responded. "My money's on the deck and I'm ready for him." Robert had been covering the back of the house from under the deck and shifted his position to behind the steps, preparing to take out his target.

"Copy that," Marshall said now back in full Marshal mode, "I'm on the front door, Chief."

Obviously having planned their attack, the intruders hit the house at almost the same moment. Robert waited until the man had reached the fifth step before reaching his arm through the space between the steps and pulling the man's legs out from underneath him. He used the time it took the man to fall backwards off the steps and onto the ground to move out from under the deck. He placed his knee strategically on the man's chest and his weapon under his chin.

Meanwhile, Mary had been waiting less than patiently in the kitchen. This was that part of the job she liked the least, next to the paperwork, of course. 'C'mon already,' she urged from inside her head as she listened to the exchange between Marshall and his dad about the second intruder.

Finally, she heard a faint creak as the door from the basement opened slowly and she pushed back against the wall of the kitchen. When she saw the gun come into view, she forced herself to remain still a little longer and was rewarded when she saw the arms of the gun's owner make their way around the corner.

Before he knew what hit him, Mary had knocked him off his feet and had her knee in his back. He cried out in pain as she pulled his arm up higher behind his back, disarming him in the process. Hearing Robert report in that he had subdued the other man outside, Mary dug her knee in a little deeper as she placed her gun behind the man's ear.

"Aside from your friend out back, should we be expecting any more visitors this evening, asswipe?"

"Kiss my ass, bitch," the goon spat back at her.

"Tsk tsk. Is that anyway to talk to a woman?" Mary asked leaning down to talk into his ear as she pushed the gun further into his skull causing him to groan. "Especially one that would like nothing better than to shoot off your more manly extremities. Now, I'm going to ask you nicely one more time. Do you have any other friends on their way?"

"No! There's no one else. Now get off me you crazy bitch."

"What did I tell you about language?" Mary asked in an eerily calm voice as she banged his head into the floor. She kept her gun on him as she radioed to the others to tell them it was all clear. Marshall appeared in the kitchen before she even had a chance to put the radio down.

"Get her off me, man," the guy pleaded as he looked up when Marshall entered the room. "She's crazy!"

"Aww, just when we were starting to have some fun," Mary pouted as she looked up to see the proud smile that appeared on Marshall's face as he took in the situation in front of him. She matched his smile with a devilish grin and continued to look at him while she said, "Now who am I going to play with?"

"Since I see you have everything under control," Marshall said as he tried not to let Mary's insinuations get him too riled up, "I'm gonna go help with bachelor #2."

"No! Don't leave me with her!" cried a voice from the floor, but Marshall just shook his head and laughed to himself as he headed out the door onto the deck.

***

After securing both prisoners and handcuffing them together around the toilet in the bathroom, the Marshals headed down the hall to discuss their next move.

"Look, it's obvious Harrison sent these guys," Robert stated as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I'll make them tell us what their orders were."

"And just how do you think you're going to make them tell _**you**_ anything?" Mary questioned sarcastically, not hiding her annoyance at Robert's assumption that he was the best one for the job of interrogating the two men.

"I can very persuasive, Marshal Shannon."

"I'm sure," she quipped back ignoring Marshall's glare in her direction.

"Stop it," Marshall interrupted before the pissing match went any further. "I have a plan. Chief, could you keep a look out? Mary, you come with me and follow my lead."

Mary followed him toward the bathroom, mumbling to herself as she went making it clear she was not at all happy about being ordered around by her partner.

"Look," Marshall snapped turning to face Mary, "You're the one that started with the 'we all have a job to do' crap. And as it turns out, you were right. I know you have issues with my father, but right now we need to figure out what Harrison's up to so we can stay a step ahead. There is no way that I am going to bury my father or my part…" he choked on the word and didn't finish the thought. Pulling himself together he simply said, "Please."

She saw the pain in his expression as he thought about losing one of them and instantly regretted her childish behavior. Then looking into his eyes, she saw only love and concern and she had to fight back the tears that threatened to spill over. 'Damn it, Mary," she scolded, 'are you ever going to learn to think before lashing out.' It was in that moment that she knew she could never live without her partner or with herself if she ever intentionally hurt him in any way. And she decided that when this was all over, he deserved to hear the truth from her.

Marshall saw Mary's features soften. And when she nodded, he knew it was time to move. They proceeded down toward the bathroom, stopping a few feet shy of the door.

"You can't just castrate them, Mare," he said loudly as he turned and winked at her. "Besides, there's got to a less messy way to handle this."

Mary had to keep herself from laughing, impressed at how good he was getting at roll playing. "Ah, c'mon. I promise I'll put plastic down first."

"Fine, that'll take care of the mess, but how are you going to explain it to the Chief? I don't think he'll believe that they accidentally fell on the knife."

"Who said anything about having to explain. By the time I'm done with them, they'll be nothing left for anyone to find. I mean, if they aren't going to be of any use to us, we don't need them, right?"

"I guess so," he drawled as if considering her proposal. "We can't let the old man find out what you're planning though, so I'll go distract him while you find some plastic bags."

With that, they stomped away loudly, only to double back quietly in order to be able to listen in on their captives.

"Man, I told you she was a crazy bitch. What the hell have you gotten me into?"

"Don't blame this on me, asshole. You were the one that said that said it was easy money and would get us in good with Harrison."

"It was just suppose to be the old man and his wife. He said to surprise them while they slept and call it in. That's it. Who the hell are these other people?"

"Don't know, but Harrison'll kill us if we rat him out."

"He can't kill us if we're already dead, you idiot. I say we play nice and then get the hell out of town. I've always wanted to see Mexico."

Mary and Marshall grinned at each other and then headed back to fill Robert in.

***

The phone call had been made and the three Marshals prepared themselves for Harrison's arrival.

The team from the hotel contacted Marshall to let him know that Harrison and Reynolds had just headed to the parking garage. He instructed them to follow at a distance and set up a perimeter along the edge of the property to prevent anyone from being able to escape by car.

Mary had positioned herself off to the side of the house so she would have a view of the men as they arrived.

"Reynolds is alone, I don't see Harrison," she reported into the radio.

"Damn it!" Marshall cursed. "They left the hotel together, so he's got to be on the property."

Just as Marshall finished speaking, he heard ringing and realized it was the phone used to call Harrison ringing. "Answer it!" Marshall ordered as he uncuffed an arm the phone's owner. "Tell him everything's fine. Do it now!"

"Yeah, boss. No, boss. Everything's fine. We got the place secure. You're clear to come in. Um, okay then boss."

Marshall had listened carefully to the one sided conversation and didn't like the uncertainty of his prisoner's last words. "What did he say? So help me if you…" he said grabbing the man by the collar.

"I did just what you told me, I swear. He must be really suspicious or somethin' because he said he ain't coming in until one of us goes out to the car." Marshall released him, checked that they were still secure and unable to move before closing the bathroom door.

"Harrison knows something's up," Marshall informed Mary and Robert via radio. "He called and said he wants one of those morons to go out to the car before he comes in. What's Reynolds doing?"

"Just sitting in the car," Mary replied. "Harrison's got to be close enough to see the front of the house, right? And since he's not standing here with me, there are only a few other places he could be. I'll find him."

"Mary," Marshall began, but stopped himself. He wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to say, but the realization that his father was listening kept him from continuing.

"I know, Doofus," she said in response to his unspoken words causing him to smile. "Now eyes open, boys. Radios silent."

***

Marshall moved down the hall to living room to check in with his dad when Mary came bounding through the kitchen, and she wasn't alone. She was holding Harrison's hands up behind his head with one hand and had her gun shoved in his back with the other.

As she pushed him into the living room, she noticed Marshall and Robert turn toward her in surprise. She knew she'd apprehended Harrison quickly, but what made her smile more was the change in Robert's expression from shock to one of admiration.

"Now how about a little help," Mary quipped nodding toward her prisoner, "or do I have to do everything around here?"

"Hello, Robert," Harrison hissed as he took in the men in front of him, "it's been a long time." The star on the belt of the younger man and the family resemblance did not go unnoticed. He cursed himself for not following his instincts at the party because as it turned out, the couple was not so harmless after all.

Robert didn't respond and Marshall moved to assist Mary in finding a place to restrain Harrison when they heard a noise behind them.

"Dad!" Marshall warned when he saw Reynolds coming in the front door. He reached for his weapon and moved toward his father just as Harrison swept one of Mary's legs out from under her, causing her to lose her balance. Since he hadn't been restrained, he was able to elbow Mary in her side and grab her sidearm before she was able to recover.

Marshall realized what was happening too late to help her. He spun on his heels just in time to see Harrison put his arm around Mary's throat and the gun to her head. His heart began pounding in his chest and he thought he was going to be sick. Taking a deep breath to try and steady himself, he saw the grin on Harrison's face and anger took over. The only thing he could think about was blowing the man's head off.

"I suggest you let her go, Harrison," Marshall said in a controlled, yet dangerous tone as he steadied his Glock and aimed directly at the man's forehead. "You've just drawn your weapon on a US Marshal, don't be a complete idiot. Put down your weapon or I'll have to shoot you."

"No. I'm afraid I can't do that," Harrison replied in a cocky tone.

Just then, Reynolds came into view holding a gun on his father. He had overpowered the older Marshal in all the confusion. "I think you have some explaining to do, Mr. and Mrs. Miller."

"Shut up, you idiot," Harrison ordered. "You told me they were nobody and that you had everything under control. You almost ruined everything!" Harrison turned his attention back to Marshall and said, "Well, isn't this interesting. Robert's son is a U.S. Marshal. You're just a chip off the old block, aren't you? Now be a good boy and put down that gun before someone gets hurt."

Marshall glared at Harrison, still holding the gun to Mary's head, as he tried to formulate a plan. Glancing at Mary and then his father, he could see them both wordlessly urging him to keep his weapon and he saw their looks turn to shock as he placed his gun on the floor. 'Just trust me,' he tried to convey with a look to each of them as he stood and faced Harrison.

"You know, Robert, I came to make you pay for taking my father from me. I planned on killing you, but maybe I'll kill your son instead," he said tightening his grip on Mary as he aimed the gun at Marshall. In a melancholy tone he added, "Nothing hurts more than losing a child."

"Now, kick it over here," Reynolds said in regards to the gun now lying on the floor and Marshall complied. Then Reynolds bent down and picked it up before shoving Robert in Marshall's direction.

Catching his father's eye, Marshall saw something that he interpreted as a challenge and nodded slightly in response.

"What the hell is wrong with you, son?" Robert growled at Marshall. "You never lay down your weapon. Never!"

"So, you're disappointed in me. What else is new?" Marshall replied with contempt in his voice. "Maybe the people I love mean more to me than some stupid star."

"What's this? A little family feud," Harrison laughed. "I guess it's not always like father, like son."

"Why the hell would I want to be like him?" Marshall spat.

"You should be proud of that badge you wear," Robert interjected.

"It's what I do, not who I am! You don't even know me. You never gave a crap about anything but your damn job." Marshall said getting up in his father's face.

"It's about respect," Robert said angrily, "something you obviously don't have."

Robert's comment wasn't even out his mouth when Marshall took a swing at him, sending him flying into Reynolds. Harrison's attention was immediately on Reynolds and Robert, allowing Marshall the time he needed to reach into his boot for his other weapon.

In a matter of seconds, Robert had wrestled his gun away from Reynolds while Marshall had taken aim at Harrison once again.

"Ha! Go ahead and shoot him!" Harrison told Robert, who was aiming at Reynolds. "You'd be doing me a favor. He's been mooching off of me for years and he couldn't even handle the one thing I gave him to do!"

"Mikey! How can say that? Your dad was like a brother to me," Reynolds pleaded.

"Don't call me Mikey!" Harrison screamed getting agitated. "How many times have I told you not to call me Mikey? My dad's the only one that called me Mikey. I'll kill you myself, you bastard." Mary could feel the change in Harrison and knew he was starting to lose control.

"Harrison," Marshall warned, "There's no way out of this."

"No, Boss. Please. You know your dad asked me to look out for you, take care of you. Haven't I always taken care of you and your family?"

"My family! What family? My wife, my boy…gone! Don't talk to me about family!" Harrison barked as he turned his gun on Reynolds.

Knowing he was distracted, Mary used the opportunity to change her position under his loosened grip and tried to get Marshall's attention to signal him of her intentions.

"This is the last warning," Marshall announced. "Now drop your weapon."

Everyone in the room could tell that Harrison had definitely lost control. His eyes were wild and he kept moving his gun from person to person.

He pressed the gun to Mary's head and she felt him tense in preparation of pulling the trigger. Finally catching Marshall's eye, she thought about all the things left unsaid and tried to communicate them in that last look. Then, she closed her eyes.

"Mikey, think about…"

"Don't call me Mikey!" was the last thing everyone heard before a shot rang out and then another.

Mary felt Harrison's arm fall and she pulled away as he sank to the floor. Marshall was at her side in an instant. Seeing the bullet wound in Harrison's head, he lowered his weapon and wrapped his arms around her.

She gazed up at him with a questioning look to which he shook his head no. Immediately, they both searched for the source of the shot and smiled in relief when they saw Stan standing in the open doorway of the house, gun in hand.

Their relief didn't last long as they looked around for Robert. Marshall lunged, pushing aside Reynolds limp corpse, only to find his father on the ground as well.

**So, what did you think? We're almost to the end now and I'd love to know your thoughts.**


	27. Uncomfortably Numb

A/N: I'd hoped to be at the end of our story, but you're stuck with me for just a little longer. Heartfelt thanks to sfchemist, this story would have never gotten here without her help and encouragement. Thank you to all of you who review consistently and keep me going. And lastly, BuJyo, don't kill me if my hospital jargon is not quite up to par, I am medically challenged.

**Ch 27: Uncomfortably Numb**

The ER staff moved into action as the ambulance pulled up to the hospital.

Jumping from the rig, the medic began relaying the relevant information about the patient. "Male, age 62, gunshot wound to the shoulder. No exit wound. Has not regained consciousness. B.P. 134 over 78. Pulse is 108."

As they pulled the gurney from the ambulance and headed toward the door, the medic remembered that the patient's son was with them and looked up to see him trailing close behind. "This is the patient's son, U.S. Marshal Mann, he was present at the scene."

"Marshal Mann, I'm Dr. Andrews," the young doctor said glancing over at Marshall before returning his attention to Robert. "Is there anything we need to know about your father? Medical conditions or allergies?"

When he didn't receive an answer, he looked over again in Marshall's direction and repeated loudly, "Marshal Mann?"

"I'm sorry. What?" Marshall replied as if he wasn't quite able to process any information at the moment, something that the ER staff was accustomed to in these situations.

"Are there any medical conditions or allergies that we should be aware of?" the doctor repeated.

"No," Marshall said as he tried to remember, "No, I don't believe so."

They wheeled the gurney into the trauma room and Marshall followed. He stood watching from near the doors as they worked to save his father. He felt like he was in a dream with everything around him happening in slow motion. He had trouble focusing on what was being done and struggled to understand what was being said until he heard the long drawn out beep that accompanied the flat line on the screen. It filled Marshall's ears and it was the only thing he could hear as a nurse ushered him from the room.

He stood just outside and watched the scene play out through the window. Nurses and interns scrambled about the room while Dr. Andrews shouted orders. Marshall felt absolutely helpless and he hated it. He wanted to do something. He needed to do something.

Just when he was about to burst through the doors, he saw the tension in the room ease slightly and the heart monitor once again started to beep in a steady rhythm. Leaning his head against the cool glass, he breathed a sigh of relief and felt the tears that he had so far kept at bay starting to spill over.

When he saw the doctor approaching, he stood up straight and wiped his eyes with his hands as he tried to compose himself.

"Marshal Mann…"

"Call me Marshall," Marshall replied interrupting the doctor, but was confused by the strange expression on the young man's face until it finally clicked in his tired brain. "Marshall is also my first name." And giving the doctor an awkward smile he added, "I never quite understood my dad's sense of humor."

"Okay," Dr. Andrews said, obviously not finding it amusing. "Well, we can't locate the bullet to remove it, so we are taking him to x-ray and for some tests. He's stable right now, but we are concerned about his blood pressure. If everything looks good to the surgeon, they'll get him prepped right away."

"Is… is he going to make it?" Marshall choked out. Then he cursed himself for almost losing it again and pushed his emotions down even further.

"Despite what you saw just now, his chances are good," the doctor said calmly trying to give Marshall some hope. "Stop by the nurse's station and they'll be able to direct to the surgical waiting room. As soon as more information is available, we'll make sure someone updates you."

He heard the words the doctor said, but they hadn't really registered. As the doctor turned to walk away, Marshall forced himself to speak.

"Thank you," his said, his voice flat and devoid of feeling. He'd been trying so hard to keep his emotions in check that he was actually starting to shut down, become numb. He stood in the hallway, alone, just staring at the empty trauma room.

"Can I help you, sir?" asked one of the nurses after observing him for some time and becoming concerned about his almost catatonic state.

While he didn't answer, the voice was enough to bring Marshall back from wherever his mind had taken him. He shook his head no and walked toward the exit from the Emergency Room.

***

"Hey, can you drive a little slower, numb nuts?" Mary scowled at the young agent. "I'd hate for you to have to actually use the brakes if we needed to stop."

"I...a…I," he stuttered, scared of the Inspector he'd seen barking at everyone back at the crime scene. He'd done his best to avoid her until he was ordered to drive her to the hospital.

"Just stop the god damn car!" she ordered. "Now!"

The car hadn't even come to a complete stop when she was already out and making her way around to the driver's side. "Get out."

"I…Inspector Shannon, I was told to..."

"What's your name again?" Mary said interrupting him.

"Agent Wilson, ma'am."

"Look, Wilson. I think we just got off on the wrong foot. There's only one thing you really need to know to get along with me, just do what I tell you and we'll be just fine. Okay?"

She saw Wilson nod slowly in response.

"Good boy. Now move over and let me drive."

"But, Inspector Shannon, I was told you were not authorized to drive this vehicle and I should accompany you to the hospital."

Mary had had enough. She had ignored the ache in her gut earlier as she watched the ambulance drive away with Robert and Marshall. Then, she tried to fill Stan in on as much as she could before the place had turned into a circus of local police and federal agents. And for the past hour, she had screamed and yelled and put the fear of God into everyone at the scene until finally, someone arranged for a car to take her to the hospital.

Now, Deputy Barney Fife was the only thing in the way of her getting to Marshall and she really needed to get to Marshall. Knowing full well the shit storm she was about to cause, she pulled her weapon on Wilson and said calmly, "I am going to say this one more time. Move over or get out the car."

It hadn't taken more than a fraction of a second for Agent Wilson to slide over into the passenger seat and they were at the hospital less than five minutes later. Mary pulled right up into the ambulance zone and smiled when she saw Wilson gripping to the sides of his seat, his face a pale shade of green.

She got out of the car and threw the keys on the driver's seat. "Thanks for the ride, Kid."

Just then a security guard came toward her yelling something about not leaving the car parked there. She walked right past him and into the ER.

Mary strode up to the Nurse's Station and demanded to know about Robert Mann. When questioned, she reached for her I.D. and that's when she saw him. Waving off the nurse, she walked down the hall toward her partner who was standing alone at the other end.

"Marshall," she said softly as she approached, but got no response. Thinking he didn't hear her, she touched his arm gently and said his name again. "Marshall?"

When he eventually looked up at her she felt like she had been kicked in the gut and immediately regretted her decision to let him come to the hospital alone. His eyes were red, the dark circles surrounding them only serving to accentuate how bloodshot they were and she could tell he'd been crying. She felt like he was looking right through her and she had never seen him so lost.

She moved her hand down his arm toward his hand and he winced. Looking down, she saw blood oozing from the cuts and scrapes.

"Jesus Christ, Marshall!" Mary blurted out in shock. "What the hell happened to your hand? And why hasn't anyone looked at or cleaned it up."

Not waiting for a response, she dragged him with her to the nearest nurse and demanded to know why he hadn't been treated.

Dr. Andrews heard the yelling and emerged from treating a patient to find out what was going on. He ignored the irate blonde and turned his attention to Marshall. After looking at his hand, he asked the nurse to put him behind a curtain and promised to follow along shortly.

Marshall sat on the bed as they waited and Mary began her interrogation.

"Where's your dad? Is he okay? And how the hell did you do that to your hand?" she asked all in one breath.

"Mare," he said softly, ignoring all of her questions. And as he met her gaze, the tears began to streak down his face once more.

"Oh God, Marshall," she said wrapping her arms around him. "I never should have let you come here alone. I'm so sorry."

Dr. Andrews stepped around the curtain and saw the couple wrapped together in each other's arms. He almost said something, but then he realized that Marshall was quietly sobbing. He turned on his heels and instructed the staff to give them some privacy, making a mental note to return in 15 minutes.

***

Marshall paced back and forth in the private room as they waited for someone to update them about his father's surgery. His hand had been treated and there was nothing left to do, but wait.

"Marshall," Mary begged for the third time, standing up to cut off his path. "I know you're upset, but it's been a long night and you're not going to be of use to anyone if you don't get some rest."

"You can't seriously expect to me to sleep now!" he snapped back, running his hands through his hair.

"Sleep? I don't believe I used the word sleep, you nitwit," Mary responded, trying to lighten the mood. She knew how upset he was and his foul temper was justified, but the pacing was driving her crazy. If he kept it up she was going to lose it as well and she was trying to be strong enough for the both of them. "C'mon, just sit down for a few minutes," and then desperate to do something she added a word she rarely used, "please."

Marshall knew she was right and felt bad for lashing out at her when he could tell she was only trying to help. Taking her hand in his, he nodded and let her lead him over to the chairs. He sat with his elbows on his knees and continued to hold Mary's hand between his own as they sat quietly.

"I thought you said Stan was bringing my mom," he said, breaking the silence between them as he studied Mary's hand.

"That's what he told me. Do you want me to call him again?"

"No, if that's what he said then I'm sure they'll be here soon."

Mary wanted him to talk to her, but she wasn't sure if he was ready. Reaching out, she carefully touched his bandaged hand and whispered his name questioningly, "Marshall?"

"Hmm," he replied, eyes remaining fixed on their hands.

"How did you hurt your hand?"

Marshall didn't answer right away, but he did lift his head to look at her. And when he met her gaze, she could see all his pain and her heart ached for him.

Mary was not a religious person, but in that moment she found herself praying to any higher being that would listen for Robert's recovery. Marshall had too many things left unsettled with his father and she knew he would blame himself if his father didn't make it. It wouldn't matter how many times they went over what happened; he would always question his actions.

She reached out and rubbed her fingertips along the bandage on his hand, careful not to hurt him. Then lifting his hand gently to her lips, she kissed it softly and said, "Tell me."

Marshall took a deep breath and sighed, as if preparing himself to speak when the creak of the door drew their attention. Looking up, they saw Stan holding the door for Margaret and Marshall jumped out of his seat looking like a little boy about to be punished.

Crossing the room quickly, Margaret wrapped her arms around her son as if he were still a child and not a grown man who towered over her. "Don't you worry about your father," she whispered, "he's strong and he'll get through this. Everything's going to be fine."

"But, Mom, I was there," Marshall said with a shaky voice, "I should have…"

"No!" Margaret interrupted. "You are not going to blame yourself for this. I know enough about both of you to know that you would protect each other at all costs." Moving back, she placed a hand on each side of his face and said, "Look at me, Marshall. This is not your fault." Then she hugged him again.

Fighting back her own tears, Mary followed Stan out the door in order to give Marshall and his mom some privacy.

"At some point, we are going to have to talk about everything," Stan stated once they were in the hallway.

"I know…we know," Mary replied. "But it's going to have to wait."

"That's fine, for now. I've given my statement and neither of you discharged your weapons, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions and I can only run interference for so long."

Mary nodded her head in response, but didn't speak. She was now the one starting to pace.

"How's he holding up?" Stan inquired.

Mary shook her head and said, "Not good, Stan. When I got here I found him standing alone in the hall like a zombie." Mary choked back the tears yet again and continued, "Then I looked down at his hand and it was all bloody. Jesus, Stan, he can't even tell me how he hurt himself!"

"Calm down, Mary," Stan said as he put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "We'll get him through this. Now tell me what the doctor said about Robert."

"God, you know I'm not any good with the medical mumbo jumbo," she admitted.

"Please, Mary, I need you to try," Stan encouraged her.

She nodded, silently promising to try despite the fact she usually relied on Marshall in these situations. Her thoughts drifted back to when he'd been shot; all those hours waiting and not understanding what was happening. She remembered not being able to hold it together any longer and wondered if Marshall knew how she had broken down.

***

Stan noticed the tension rising in the room as time passed with no word about Robert and insisted that Marshall accompany him to the cafeteria to get something for Margaret in hopes of being able to get Marshall to eat something as well.

"He blames himself," Margaret said in regards to Marshall, after the men had left the room.

"Yes."

"He gets that from his father. The Mann men seem ever destined to burden themselves with things beyond their control." Margaret's voice grew softer and it appeared as if her mind had drifted to another time. Not wanting to interrupt her thoughts, Mary just sat quietly for several minutes before she spoke.

"Are you okay, Margaret?" Mary asked with genuine concern. "Is there anything I can do or something you need?"

"What I need is for this family to put the past where it belongs, once and for all, and now maybe that can happen. As far as what you can do, just knowing you're here for Marshall is great comfort," Margaret said warmly to Mary. "He has spent most of his life keeping everyone at arm's length. I'm glad to see he's finally opened himself, and his heart, up to the possibility of something more."

Mary blushed slightly at her words and looked away. "Margaret, I…"

"You don't have to say anything, dear," Margaret said as she placed her hand on Mary's. "It's between the two of you." Then she smiled coyly and added, "It's really none of my business."

***

The four of them sat watching the clock flick from 10:32 to 10:33 am, each lost in their own thoughts when the surgeon entered the room.

"Are you the family of Robert Mann?" he asked in order to confirm he was in the right place, looking down to check the paperwork in his hand.

"Yes. I'm his wife," Margaret spoke calmly and Marshall watched her, amazed by her strength and ability to deal with yet another difficult moment that life had thrown at her.

She sat down in a chair near the doctor and Marshall stood behind her with his hand on her shoulder. He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he felt Mary's arm slide around his waist and he released the air that had been trapped in his lungs.

"Robert is out of surgery and is in recovery," the doctor began. "The surgery took much longer than we anticipated, but if there are no further complications he should make a full recovery."

"No further complications?" Marshall questioned.

"The bullet was lodged behind his collar bone making it very difficult to remove. Also, it nicked the bone upon entry and those shards needed to be removed as well. That is what took so long. After that, we were able to repair the damage to the tendons in his shoulder. Robert is strong and in fairly good health for his age, but his age is a factor. Also, he has a condition called Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation or DIC, which caused a mild myocardial infarction during surgery."

"He had a heart attack?" Marshall interrupted.

"We were able to stabilize him and finish the procedure, but we are going to need to watch him closely for the next 24-48 hours. Overall, he was very lucky. The bullet did a lot less damage than it would have if he had been hit directly."

"When can we see him?" Margaret asked.

"He'll be in recovery for at least another 2 hours. Once he's settled into to ICU, the nurse will come and get you," he said standing and moving toward the door.

"Thank you, Doctor."

He nodded in response before leaving them alone.

Margaret reached up and squeezed her son's hand. "See, sweetie. It's okay. He's going to be fine, just fine. You'll see."

No one said anything because they knew that she was saying it not just to Marshall, but to convince herself as well.


	28. Epilogue: Responses and Responsibilities

**A/N: We have finally come to the end of this journey and I hope those of you along for the ride have enjoyed it. This chapter is dedicated to the amazing sfchemist for all her help and encouragement. **

**Epilogue: Responses and Responsibilities**

Three weeks later: Albuquerque

"Mary," Marshall whispered for the second time, his breath tickling her ear as he leaned down over her sleeping form.

She grunted and he pulled back in anticipation of the hand that came flying up to swat him away. Deciding a different approach was in order, he reached down and grabbed the sheet that was covering her.

"Don't you dare," cautioned a muffled voice from under the pillow.

"Then get up already, sleepy head."

"No! It's Saturday. Now leave me alone," she ordered, pulling the pillow tighter over her head.

"But they're going to be here soon," Marshall pouted.

Receiving another grunt in reply, he gathered the sheet tighter in his hands and pulled it off of his bed to reveal her naked form. The pout disappeared, replaced by a smile as his eyes took her in. He still couldn't believe that she was actually here with him. It was a dream come true, literally, and he knew a day wouldn't go by that he didn't pinch himself just to make sure.

"You are so going to pay for that, Mister!" Mary threatened as she pulled her head out from under the pillow and looked up at him.

"Promise?" he quipped back as he reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her off the bed.

"Yes. And I always keep my promises," she replied in a low and sultry voice.

"Good," he said with devilish grin. Then putting his hands on her shoulders, he turned her to face the bathroom and giving her a swat on the behind he said, "Now, get in the shower."

She glared back at him before disappearing into the bathroom and he smiled, knowing full well that he would pay dearly later.

And he couldn't wait.

***

Mary emerged freshly showered, dressed and still glaring at Marshall just in time to see Margaret and Robert walk up the path.

She was suddenly grateful that Marshall had taken a rain check on her promise as there was no way they'd have had time for what she'd had in mind. Smiling to herself, she started plotting and wondered just exactly how long his parents planned on staying.

Waiting in the living room, Mary let Marshall open the door and have a second with his parents.

"It's so good to see you," his mother said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "You look wonderful, sweetie. Is something different?"

"Uh, no," Marshall responded hesitantly as his mother walked past him, "I don't think so."

"Marshall," Robert said holding out his hand, "How are you, son?"

"I…I'm good, Dad," Marshall replied as he shook his dad's hand, touched by the amount of genuine concern he heard in his father's voice. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, you know," his dad said, trying to make light of the situation before moving to join his wife in the other room.

"Mary!" Margaret exclaimed when she saw her in the living room. "I was hoping you'd be here. How are you? You look wonderful." Just then, the realization hit her. Smiling, she looked from Mary to her son and back.

"I'm fine, thanks," Mary replied, feeling her cheeks redden at Margaret's suddenly knowing smile. "How was the trip?"

"It was just fine, just fine. Now, if you'll excuse me, there are a few things I need from the car," Margaret said as she turned to Marshall. "Would you help me bring them in?"

"Sure, Mom."

"Peg, I told you I'd get…"

"You heard the doctor, Robert," Margaret said, cutting him off mid-sentence. "You are not supposed to exert yourself. Now stop being so stubborn and try to relax." That said, she walked out of the room with Marshall following behind.

Turning to Mary, Robert extended a hand and said, "Mary."

After eyeing him warily a moment, she offered her hand saying, "Robert. How are you feeling?"

"Better, thanks, much better," he replied. After pausing a moment, he continued, "And you're well? And Marshall?"

"Yes, we're both fine."

Mary and Robert looked around the room awkwardly. Mary finally asked him if he'd like something to drink and was only too happy to head to the kitchen when he accepted her offer. She took her time finding a glass and filling it, thankful when Marshall and Margaret walked in.

She watched as Marshall set the grocery bags on the table while asking his mother if she knew where everything was in the kitchen. When Margaret simply nodded yes, Mary decided to speak up.

"Marshall, would you take this to your father for me?" she asked sweetly, causing him to raise an eyebrow at her. Then, she added sarcastically, "Pleeease?"

"Okay, then, if you two ladies will excuse me." Smiling at them, he took the glass of water from Mary and left the room.

"Would you mind handing me that bag, Mary?" Margaret asked.

"Sure. So what is all this stuff anyway?"

"I thought you could help me with dinner."

"Um, I'm not exactly Betty Crocker," Mary admitted. "Besides, we haven't even had lunch yet. Aren't you getting ahead of yourself?

"Not at all. The best things in life, including our dinner, take time, dear. It was once said, 'patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish'."

Something about the way Margaret looked at her as she spoke told Mary that she wasn't just referring to cooking. She committed the words to memory as she continued to unpack the bags on the table.

"Ribs!" Mary shouted in excitement. "You're making ribs."

"No, Mary," Margaret said placing a hand on Mary's shoulder. "We're making ribs. I think it's about time I passed on the family recipe."

***

While Mary was preparing for her initiation into Margaret's exclusive club, Marshall and his father were left to their own devices in the other room.

"You really do look good, Dad," Marshall observed. "I'm glad the doctor okay'd you to make the trip." He sat silently contemplating a moment before deciding it was time to just put his feelings out there. "Honestly, I was more worried that you wouldn't _want_ to come."

"Marshall," his dad said, rubbing his hand through his hair as he settled back into the chair. "I think I owe you an apology and an explanation."

"Dad, you don't…"

"No," Robert interrupted. "Let me do this. I need to do this. Not just for you, but for myself as well."

Marshall inclined his head in his father's direction encouraging him to continue, as well as his undivided attention.

"I'm not going to make excuses for myself, Son, but there are just certain things that I think you should know. We've gone over the details of what went down with Harrison all those years ago, but we never talked about the effect it had on me, and ultimately, our family.

A few months after I killed Harrison, your brother got sick again. Do you remember how well he'd been doing before that?" Robert asked, smiling at the memory as Marshall nodded in response.

"This time, he just kept getting worse and I felt like it was my fault. My son was being taken away from me as punishment for taking away a boy's father." Marshall saw tears in his father's eyes that matched his own and for the first time he began to look at his brother's death from someone else's perspective. "And the funny thing is, I didn't even know that Harrison called his son Mikey until a few weeks ago. Ironic, isn't it?"

Smiling weakly, Marshall remembered when Reynolds referred to Michael Harrison as Mikey and the sick feeling it had caused in his stomach. He had wondered at the time if his father had made the connection.

"Anyway," Robert continued, "when your brother died I felt responsible. That, somehow, his death had been a direct result of my actions and being around you and your mother…the guilt…"

"Dad," Marshall said wanting to comfort him.

"No, please let me finish," Robert said as he held his hand up, gesturing for Marshall to stop. "Thankfully, your mother understood me well enough to stand by me, unwavering, despite the fact that she had also lost a son. I don't know how she did it, but I thank God everyday that she did."

Robert stared at his hands, unable to look his son in the eye as he said, "But you, you and your brother were so close. He was your entire world and all I could think about was how disappointed you'd be in me if you ever found out I was responsible. Looking back now, I know I was wrong to feel that way, but at the time I distanced myself. And after awhile, I didn't know how to repair the damage."

"It's not your fault. You do know that now, right?" Marshall asked concerned about his father's state of mind.

"I know, I do. It doesn't make facing it any easier, though."

"Well, I wasn't exactly easy to approach at the time," Marshall began. "I was angry, really angry, and I didn't know how to deal with it. I didn't account for the fact that you had your own way of grieving. You didn't respond like I thought you should and instead of talking to you, I just redirected all that anger toward you. And over the years, I convinced myself that I was a disappointment to you."

"Marshall, you have never been a disappointment to me, ever," Robert insisted, "and it's my fault if you ever felt that way. You're ten times the man I am and I have never been prouder that I'm your father."

"Thanks, Dad," Marshall said, stifling back the tears.

"Just tell me, Son. Are you happy here in Albuquerque? And doing what you're doing?" Robert asked, concerned that maybe his son had only chosen the path he chose to try and please him.

"Yeah, Dad," Marshall said confidently. "I'm very happy."

"Glad to hear it. Now, what do you suppose those two have been up to all this time," he said looking toward the kitchen.

"I don't know, Dad," Marshall said with a smile, "and I don't think I want to."

***

Mary and Marshall had taken his parents out to lunch and then spent the afternoon showing off the various sights in and around Albuquerque.

Now, the conversation was at a minimum as they all sat around the table devouring the barbecued ribs.

"Mmm, Mom," Marshall said, licking his fingers as he finished off his last rib and reached for his beer, "I don't think I could ever get enough of your ribs. You're going to have to start overnighting them from Colorado."

"No need to worry about that, sweetie," Margaret said, winking at Mary, "the secret family recipe is in good hands and I'm sure Mary would be glad to make them for you, as long as you ask nicely."

Marshall nearly choked on the sip of beer he'd taken at his mother's insinuation of Mary being family. He already felt that she was, but he couldn't believe his mom would say it so blatantly right in front of Mary and he blushed.

"Geez, Mom, no pressure or anything," Marshall mumbled back.

"Okay," Margaret said, diverting everyone's attention, "since Mary and I worked so hard on this meal, I think we are going to go sit out on the porch and enjoy the evening. I'm sure you two can handle a few dishes. Right, Mary?"

"Excellent idea, Margaret," Mary said, standing up and following her out of the room, leaving Marshall and Robert behind.

"Oh, Mary, I almost forgot," Margaret said as she grabbed her purse before heading out the front door.

Mary was trying to figure out what it was that Margaret was searching while she watched her rummage through the bag. Finally, she saw her pull the item out triumphantly.

Recognizing it, Mary couldn't hide the hint of sadness that flashed in her eyes.

"You forgot it at the house," Margaret said, handing the monkey to Mary.

Mary held it in her hands and studied it. She still couldn't figure out what was so special about the stupid toy, but she smiled as she remembered how much Matty had loved the thing.

"Thank you for bringing it," Mary said, still lost in her thoughts.

She had gone with Stan to transfer Matty the day after Robert's surgery. Since Robert's condition was still critical, Marshall needed to stay with his mom in Colorado and couldn't make the trip. Watching him say goodbye to Matty had been heart wrenching.

"You never did tell me what happened to him, where he went," Margaret said.

Mary remembered every minute of the trip to Des Moines. There was another team waiting for them when they arrived at the airport and Matty's mother was with them. It had taken all of Mary's strength to act as if she was unaffected by the situation, but inside she felt the ache in her heart and she had known she was going to miss the little guy. She had been totally unprepared for the hug and heartfelt thank you that had come from the woman as Mary returned her son to her.

"We don't 'know' where he is," Mary said, indicating that just the opposite was true. Then looking up from the toy to meet Margaret's eye she added, "But, he's fine. He's going to be just fine."

***

After seeing his parents to their car, Marshall collapsed, exhausted, on the sofa next to Mary.

"Whew! I thought they'd never leave," Mary blurted out as she let her head fall onto his shoulder.

"What? I thought you liked my parents," Marshall said as his lips pursed into a pout.

"Oh, stop pouting, Doofus," Mary said, swatting him in the stomach with the back of her hand. "I do like them. Well, you mom anyway. Your dad and I just don't quite mesh well. But that said, I'd hang out with them before my family any day."

They shared a laugh over her last statement as Marshall said, "Yeah, I saw you two when we were out this afternoon. I was starting to worry that you'd hit someone, or something." Then rubbing his still sore hand with the other, he added, "I just don't recommend brick walls."

Mary reached out and took his hand in hers. She seemed lost in thought as she lightly caressed the small scar that was still visible. Then she jerked away, surprising Marshall as she stood up.

"Mare?"

"Wait, I'll be right back," she said walking out of the room leaving Marshall wondering what she was up to.

"Here," she said, handing him the monkey as she sat down back next to him. "Your mom brought it. We forgot it at the house." She watched the expression on his face and recognized it as being similar to the one she had worn when his mom had given it to her.

"I bet he misses Mr. Monkey," he said sadly.

"Well, that's why I'm giving him to you. You can make sure he gets it."

"What do you mean?" Marshall questioned innocently.

"Don't even!" Mary threatened in response. "I know you better than you think and there is no way you'd just let Matty go. Why do you think I'm not worried about him?" she asked rhetorically before continuing. "Because I know you'll tell me if there is something to worry about. So no more talking about it, just make sure he gets the stupid thing."

Marshall reached out for her, but before he could pull her to him she was up on her feet and looking down at him seductively.

"Now," Mary said as she reached out for his hand, "I believe we have some unsettled business from this morning."

"Hmm…," Marshall moaned. He grabbed her hand and pulled himself up, tossing Mr. Monkey aside. "I seem to remember promises being made."

"Well, let's see what we can do about making sure they are kept," Mary said over her shoulder as she led him toward the bedroom.

**The End**

**Thank you to everyone and I would love to know your thoughts now that we are at the end. **

The quote that Margaret references above, "Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish" is John Quincy Adams.


End file.
